Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

DD knocked a tooth out, help me get some perspective please

43 replies

Treehouse55 · 12/09/2019 21:07

DD age 3 fell on the pavement a couple of days ago and managed to knock one of her front teeth out and chip the other. She's fine but I'm finding it really hard to come to terms with it! I know it's silly but I've been really tearful ever since.

Doesn't help that everyone I know in real life seems to be in a competition to say the most stupid things. One friend said "oh I'd feel devestated if I were you" and my mum said "there's always photoshop". Cheers guys.

I was hoping for something more along the lines of "you don't really notice it", "she'll get new ones in a couple of years anyway" etc etc.

Help me get some perspective please?

OP posts:
SimonJT · 12/09/2019 21:11

At least they’re baby teeth so they will be replaced with non-chipped teeth. The front ones are normally the first to fall out, so the first to be replaced as well. Lots of kids her age also have the odd missing tooth gap, so she won’t look out of place.

My best friend as almost 30 year old adult only has baby teeth, they won’t last forever so he is going to end up with a whole set of implants. It could be a lot worse!

TeenPlusTwenties · 12/09/2019 21:11

Yup. She'll get new ones, no big deal (though I'm sure it must feel like it).
Better really than a big scar on her forehead.

Atalune · 12/09/2019 21:13

My Dd did the same and she had the most perfect cute smile. And then she looked like a wayward pirate tarot card reader!

I was momentarily miffed but then we just loved her goofy smile.

SinkGirl · 12/09/2019 21:14

My friend’s toddler had a horrid accident and had to have both front bottom teeth surgically removed. I honestly don’t even notice now, and she’ll get new ones! I know it’s upsetting - I’m upset about some quite severe chicken pox scarring on my son’s face, but both of my twins have lifelong disabilities that aren’t going anywhere so I get perspective that way I guess!

Original poster
Treehouse55 · 12/09/2019 21:14

And then she looked like a wayward pirate tarot card reader

Thanks, you'd fit right in with my family Hmm

OP posts:
bluebell34567 · 12/09/2019 21:15

in a few years she will have new teeth.
at that young age its not so important how it looks, mostly they have growing nonuniform teeth.
just be careful it the broken ones have sharp edges that can cut lips, tongue etc. they have to be filed by a dentist.

birdsbehindclouds · 12/09/2019 21:17

Has she damaged the root too? Do you have her registered at a dentist?

Original poster
Treehouse55 · 12/09/2019 21:17

both of my twins have lifelong disabilities that aren’t going anywhere so I get perspective that way I guess

I'm sorry, that must be very hard.

OP posts:
Thestral · 12/09/2019 21:17

My son did similar. I cried, and cried, and cried. And now it's fine, you don't notice it at all, and it really wasn't worth all the tears. Honestly.

I wanted to punch all the people telling me how upset they'd be, I completely understand how you feel! You'll get over it though, I promise.

BlueCornsihPixie · 12/09/2019 21:18

It's only a baby tooth!
Like you said, her adult ones will come through in a few years and if she's lost this one it's adult one might come through quicker

Lots of children are missing front teeth. It's only a year or so till the other DC will start losing their baby teeth. Honestly no one will bat an eyelid at a small child missing a tooth

Think of it this way, if she's going to damage any body part it might as well be a baby tooth that's going to be replaced anyway!

Original poster
Treehouse55 · 12/09/2019 21:18

@birdsbehindclouds yep we literally drove straight to the dentist and he doesn't think permanent damage (e.g. to adult teeth) but going back Monday once swelling had gone down.

OP posts:
Delatron · 12/09/2019 21:19

At least they are baby teeth. DS has just grown his new adult teeth, they were straight and perfect. Then chipped one in half when a gate swung in to it... He has a filling covering it now ( you can’t even tell) and will eventually be capped but I was so upset.

MrsTumbletap · 12/09/2019 21:19

My sister knocked both top front two out when she was 4 and had a big gappy smile for two years.......but she has the most beautiful smile and teeth now, never needed a brace or anything.

Dont worry they fall out anyway and then they all look gappy, all kids have gappy teeth until they are 11-12.

At least it's not a big scar that won't go, like my DS has from a chicken pox scar. Teeth get replaced it's fine.

It will look cute in photos and she will smile looking back at those cute gappy photos when she is 22.

CountSnackula · 12/09/2019 21:20

Honestly, OP, don't worry about it! I bet she looks really sweet, and it's not forever, anyway.

My brother knocked one of his front teeth on a kerbstone when he was little and ended up with a grey tooth that had to be removed by the dentist when he was about eight - honestly, it's better your way round than his!

Original poster
Treehouse55 · 12/09/2019 21:22

I wanted to punch all the people telling me how upset they'd be, I completely understand how you feel!

Exactly! Honestly I just don't get why people think this is a helpful thing to say?! I had to make up a headache to get off the phone quickly when my friend said a whole string of things like this. Her DS was born with a birthmark which she was really upset about and all I've ever ever said to her is how it isn't a big deal and you'd never notice it...

OP posts:
widgetbeana · 12/09/2019 21:23

My dd knocked out her 2 top teeth when she had just turned 4. She was missing them for 18 months. I was in bits for a week or so.

Initially it was quite noticeable as the gums had very distinct and noticeable 'arches' of missing tooth, but they soon became a softer shape and the holes were less obvious. The photos taken at the earlier stages (the first week or so) I find hard to look at, but literally it was only a week or so.
Her classmates all went through the gappy phase later, so we all get our turn.

I do sympathise though, I remember being devastated (even though I know it's my own guilt and vanity).

saraclara · 12/09/2019 21:23

That happened to my daughter too. To my surprise, the dentist recommended a false tooth on a plate, in order to retain the space for the permanent tooth to erupt in. She said that otherwise the rest of the baby teeth could shift and impinge on the gap. So she had a little false tooth for years!

30to50FeralHogs · 12/09/2019 21:25

Oh gosh I know exactly how you feel. DD did similar, chipped both her front teeth when she was a similar age, so she had a kind of triangle hole at the front. I cried.

It’s heartbreaking when they first do it, but tbh it just became how she looked! A few years later they start losing teeth. Then it’s braces for years on end. I don’t think I’ll see a full smile for another couple of years yet!

Try not to be too upset about it in case it gives her a complex and she stops smiling - just see it that she lost one a bit early.

I also comforted myself with the fact that plenty of kids have worse to deal with, some permanently, so in the grand scheme of things, a missing tooth isn’t the end of the world.

Sipperskipper · 12/09/2019 21:27

Similar happened to DD (2y3m) on holiday a couple of weeks ago. One tooth slightly chipped, the other massively so (was hanging off & the dentist had to rip it off with tweezers...!).

I am getting used to it now, but the one with the smaller chip is going grey, which looks awful!

It’s only baby teeth though, and she hasn’t noticed so that’s all that matters really.

Sewbean · 12/09/2019 21:30

DS lost one of his when he was 1. He'd only had it a few weeks! He had a space for years, his big tooth grew in when he was 6. He had a bit of a lisp when he spoke but everyone understood him fine. His speech was temporarily a bit odd when his tooth grew in till he got used to having two at the front again. But he's fine now after a few weeks.

He was not at all bothered, no-one questioned it or teased him about it. I was upset at the time but honestly it's such a tiny thing, such a tiny part of him.

Be upset for a few days then put it behind you. It will be fine.

ArthurMorgan · 12/09/2019 21:33

My dd is an early tooth loser.. She lost her first tooth at 3 and 3 months (teeth and gums are healthy, she's just really early..). The dentist is unsure as to if any teeth are going to come through early though, so for now (age almost 5)she has a few gaps and she's still cute! Don't sweat it!

Atalune · 12/09/2019 21:34

treehouse sorry I didn’t mean to offend

maidenover · 12/09/2019 21:36

She’ll be the coolest girl in her class at school both my DC’s were desperate to loose their teeth and massively jealous of those who already had gaps.

Original poster
Treehouse55 · 12/09/2019 21:36

Thank you everyone. These responses are really helping. I think I need to try and see the cute side of a gappy smile. I probably would if it was someone else's child!

@widgetbeana that's interesting, it's the gums I just can't bear to look at for the moment, more than the gap. Hopefully they will look a bit better once the changes settle in.

OP posts:
Original poster
Treehouse55 · 12/09/2019 21:38

@atalune sorry I didn't mean to be snappy. Just having a bit of a sense of humour failure! You would indeed fit in with my family though, my brother said something pretty similar (not that he's actually seen her yet!!) Glad you got used to your DD's new smile anyway.

OP posts:
Swipe left for the next trending thread