When Your Body Attacks Your Teeth: Combating Autoimmune Dental Problems

Why You Should See A Dentist After A Blow To The Face

Having a little one get hit in the face can be terrifying for a parent. If your little one suffered a blow to the face around the level of their cheeks and nose, it might be a good idea to take them to a dentist to ensure that there's no further damage. If that surprises you, then read on to discover why you should do this.

Where Teeth Are Stored

Everyone knows that children initially have small teeth come in that are eventually replaced by adult teeth. But did you know that their adult teeth are already grown and ready to go?

The upper adult teeth are essentially stored above the upper palate on the inside of the face until they're ready to shift down into position. This means that if your little one had a strong enough blow to the face, the blow could have damaged one or more of those teeth.

What Happens If They're Damaged

Damaged adult teeth may not come in properly. A sudden blow like that can cause them to come in abnormally soon, forcing out a baby tooth before it's ready to go. Alternatively, if the tooth is actually broken, an infection can develop while the tooth is still hidden away. Needless to say, this would be a painful process for your child to go through, so it's best to get help as soon as you can.

What to Expect

Getting your child's teeth taken care of is a fairly straightforward and easy process. Your first step is to contact a dentist and make an appointment. From there, you'll bring your child in and they'll have their mouth and face physically examined. This is where you need to tell the dentist where the blow to the face was. If you have any medical records of the injury, they may be useful, so bring them along too.

With the physical exam complete, your dentist will use dental X-rays to look at the hidden teeth. If no damage is detected, your child can go home without any further care. If the teeth are damaged, the treatment will depend upon the severity of the damage. In extreme cases, surgery may be necessary in order to remove a damaged tooth.

Getting hit in the face is something that no child should have to go through, but it can happen nonetheless. Make a plan to go to the pediatric dentist to ensure that your child doesn't have a problem underneath the surface.


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