3 Situations That May Leave Your Child With A Chipped Tooth

As a parent, you want to help to protect and care for your child's teeth to the best of your ability. While practicing good oral hygiene is important, you should also remember that there are other dental woes that can befall your child. One of those risks is chipped teeth. Here are three common situations in which a chipped tooth is likely to happen and how to avoid accidental damage to your child's teeth in those instances:

Bouncy Houses and Trampolines

Birthday parties are very popular with school-aged children, and they are a wonderful way to socialize and celebrate a special day. Yet, there are also several potential risk factors that can cause your child to chip or break a tooth during these events.

For instance, bouncy houses and trampolines are party equipment that make it easy for a kid to lose control. In turn, they may fall down or bang their mouth on something or someone.  So be sure to practice safety around these types of equipment by ensuring  that the bouncy house or trampoline is not over-crowded. In addition, only set it up in a wide open area that is free from sharp objects and hard edges. Also, always supervise the kids!

Water Fountains

You can't be around your child all the time, so you should communicate safety to them on a regular basis. For instance, when they are in school, they may use the water fountain. This is no big deal, but make sure that you show them how they should take a sip of water. Many kids will place their mouth right up against the spigot, which is not only unsanitary, but unsafe. Children could knock a tooth out or cause a tooth to chip against the metal structure. It is best to have an adult model how to take a sip from water fountains, as well as encourage kids to keep their distance from the person taking a drink.

Excited Pets

An at-home risk could be your pet. Dogs and cats are wonderful household companions, but they can also get over-excited, especially around kids. All it takes is a hyperactive puppy jumping at your child's face for a tooth to become chipped or broken. The best remedy against this is to train your pets to be obedient and to let your child know about the potential dangers of his or her mouth colliding with the pet's snout.

Some simple awareness can sometimes prevent a chipped tooth. However, if a tooth does become chipped, speak to your dentist about ways to correct its appearance, or click here for more information.