What to Do When Your Child Chips or Knocks Out a Baby Tooth

Your kid trips, lands face-first, and suddenly there’s blood and crying. We know your first thought is probably about their teeth, but here’s what I need you to do first: take a breath and check your child. Not just their mouth, but their whole body. Did they hit their head? Are there any bumps or cuts anywhere else? If you even suspect a head injury, forget about the teeth for now and get to the emergency room.

Once you know your child is okay otherwise, then we can look at what happened to that tooth. We see these injuries all the time at Silicon Beach Pediatric Dental, and not every chip or knock requires you to rush in immediately. Knowing what you’re looking at can save you a lot of stress and help you figure out whether you need to call us right away or if it can wait until morning.

If It’s Just a Little Chip

So your kid chipped a tooth, and it looks like only a tiny piece of the white part broke off. Unless something feels sharp or is poking their tongue or lip, you’re probably fine waiting for a phone call or an appointment the next day. These enamel-only chips, or just the outermost layer of the tooth, are really common, and honestly, unless they’re bothering your child, they don’t need immediate treatment.

When the Chip Goes Deeper

Now, if you can see a yellowish or darker purple color underneath where the chip is, that’s different. Your child probably broke into the dentin layer, the second layer of teeth, and that matters because often these teeth can be more sensitive beyond the initial shock of the injury. You might notice them wincing when they drink something cold or hot.

That’s your sign that the fracture or chip went deeper than you thought. Dental injuries affect about 17% of kids with baby teeth, and getting them evaluated quickly makes a difference in how we treat them. If your child’s showing signs of sensitivity that won’t go away, call us. Dr. Hayley and Dr. Ray will want to examine the tooth and probably take an X-ray to see how deep it goes and figure out the best way to address the discomfort.

If the Whole Tooth Is Gone

Okay, this one really freaks parents out. Your child falls, and suddenly, a whole tooth is just missing. First thing: try to find that tooth. We’re serious, it’s helpful to see the tooth that has been knocked out.

There are two big reasons why. One, we need to make sure the full tooth actually came. If it didn’t come out in full, don’t worry, Dr. Ray and Dr. Hayley will walk you through what’s best for your child in this situation.  Two, if you cannot find it anywhere, we’ve got a couple of possibilities to consider. Sometimes the tooth doesn’t actually get knocked out, but it gets pushed up into the gum tissue. We will take an X-ray to see if it’s hiding up in there. The other concern is that your child may have swallowed or aspirated the tooth. 

Here’s something that surprises parents: we don’t reimplant baby teeth. Even if you find it right away and it looks perfect, we’re not putting it back in. Baby teeth that get reimplanted have poor survival rates, and trying to put them back can actually damage the permanent tooth developing underneath.

What Comes After

Whether it’s a small chip or a missing tooth, the story doesn’t end when you leave our office. Dr. Hayley and Dr. Ray don’t believe in one-size-fits-all approaches because every kid and every injury is different. They will guide you through follow-up appointments based on your child’s dental needs. 

Get Your Child Checked Out at Silicon Beach Pediatric Dental

Dealing with your toddler’s dental emergency is stressful enough without wondering what to do next. Dr. Hayley Botwin and Dr. Ray Klein understand what you’re going through when your child gets hurt. 

We’re here to tell you clearly whether you need to come in right away or if you can just keep an eye on things at home. If your child chipped or knocked out a tooth, don’t sit there wondering—reach out through our contact form or give us a call so we can help you figure out what to do.