Good Dental Care: It Doesn't Have to Break Your Budget

What To Do If Your Child Gets Hit In The Mouth With A Ball

Summer is here! If you have kids, that likely means there will be a lot of soccer, baseball, kickball, and basketball games around the corner. One of the most common accidents that occur when kids get together to play is getting hit in the face with a ball. This can lead to a number of injuries, from broken teeth to split lips and bleeding gums. If your child gets hit in the mouth with a ball, follow these steps to ensure safety and get the necessary treatment:

Assess how hard your child was hit, and call 911 if needed.

If your child was hit with a softer ball, such as a kickball, this is probably not a dire emergency situation. However, if your child was hit in the mouth with a harder ball, like a baseball or basketball, you need to be more concerned. Is your child dizzy or experiencing cold sweats? Is his or her jaw swelling rapidly and already beginning to show signs of bruising? Does the jaw protrude outward, or is your child unable to close their mouth? These could be signs of a broken jaw, so you should call 911 immediately.

Look for any missing or broken teeth.

If your child's jaw seems to be okay, your next concern should be that the teeth may be broken. Ask your child to open their mouth (if this is overly painful, take your child to the emergency room, as the jaw may be broken or bruised). Look at the teeth carefully. If you see that any teeth are broken or chipped, contact your dentist. He or she will tell you, based on the size and location of the crack or chip, whether immediate treatment is necessary or your child can wait a few days for care.

If your child is missing a tooth entirely, try to find the tooth. Rinse it with plain water, and place it back in its socket while you contact an emergency dentist. If you cannot get the tooth back into the socket, store it in some dairy milk. You can place some ice on the outside of the cheek where the missing tooth is to ease your child's pain on the way to the dentist.

Examine and treat any bleeding areas, seeking medical attention if needed.

When children get hit in the mouth, there is often blood involved. You need to find out whether this blood is from a major cut, or just a little scrape. After making sure the teeth are okay, have your child rinse their mouth out. This will make it easier to see where the blood is coming from. If it's just a little scrape or nick (as it often is), just have your child sip cool water until the bleeding stops. If a flap of skin has been created, the wound is deep, or the child has bitten through a lip, take them to the emergency room, as stitches may be needed.

Keep an eye on your child for a few days after the incid ent. If the pain does not subside, contact your dentist or physician for an evaluation. To find out more about dental care, speak with someone like Maria E Marzo, D.D.S., PC.