Children love running around, playing and being on their feet at all times. With their increased activity level, dental emergencies and injuries can happen. According to research, the highest risk for injuries happen when children are at the ages of 1 to 3. This is the age when they can run and walk while still establishing their coordination. There is a lot of bumping and falling that can happen at this time. By the ages of 8 to 11, kids enter another high-risk stage. At this age range, children take fewer precautions and increase their risk-taking options. Both parents and children can be severely stressed when dental injuries that happen at this age. Most of the dental injuries arise from a variety of some incidents:
Fighting and roughhousing
Slips and falls outside or inside the house
Sports injuries
Car accidents, biking accidents
Tooth chips while eating
Enjoying Play with Safety in Mind
The good news is that parents and children can prevent a variety of the dental injuries that occur. Parents can talk to us regarding the activities that their children participate in. It’s important to know the risks that surround your children and to be able to eliminate those risks. In addition, knowing how to handle a dental injury is equally as important. Every parent can help prevent a dental injury by talking to your child about the following:
Prior to running or walking, make sure there are no objects in their mouth.
When riding in a car, put on a seat belt.
When playing contact sports, always wear a mouth-guard.
Chewing or sucking on hard, sharp, or pointed objects can cause teeth to break or chip.
Using a Mouth Guard
When it comes to sports, mouth guards are necessary to play hockey, boxing and rugby. Your teeth gain the benefit of a rubber protective cover that protects your gums and teeth. You can go to most sports stores to buy a mouth guard, but this doesn’t ensure a proper fit. Having us make a custom-made mouth guard ensures that a proper mold is created to fit your child. When a mouth guard is a poor fit, your child is unable to breath and talk normally while wearing it. Keep in mind that children’s teeth are still developing and their mouths are therefore continuously changing. With changing oral cavity, mouth guards need to be preplaced as the changes happen.
While these dental injuries may be rampant, they can be reduced and prevented. When these tips are followed, they can help stop the possibility of an injury waiting to happen. Don’t forget to talk to us about your other ways you can implement dental trauma strategies that are age appropriate to further eliminate any dental injury risks.