To ask people’s reassurance over 16 month olds broken tooth

[RoseLillian]

Dd (16 months) this evening slipped over and landed on her face. She was distraught, but it was difficult to see what had happened. After a bit I realised 1/3 to 1/2 of one of her front teeth was missing. I panicked and quickly found the number of my dentist, unfortunately they close at 5pm and it was 5.15. I phoned another dentist who was open to 8pm and they put my daughter on a list for an emergency appointment. They said they would call back if there was an appointment. They advised to call other dentists in the area but they all close early. My daughter had no bleeding or swelling and after the initial shock was back playing happily. She ate well. Come bedtime though she was very upset so gave her some calpol. She is now asleep, but I am very worried. I know they are baby teeth, but I am quite shaken.

I knocked my two front baby teeth out. Adult teeth grew in with no ill effects. It's horrible for you but she will be fine.

Baby teeth do not have nerves in the way adult teeth do, so she will not be uncomfortable. Is the broken edge sharp? She will be fine.

Mine did the same at the same age (he knocked the whole tooth out though), we were away at my parents’ and spent the whole morning traipsing round town with a tooth in a cup of milk trying to find a dentist that was open (while my mum was ringing round them all too). Eventually we saw one and she said what I knew she would say and what my dentist FIL also said: there’s nothing they can do about it as attempting anything is more likely to damage the socket and cause problems when the adult tooth emerges. He may need braces as the baby teeth ‘crowd’ the gap a bit - but most kids need braces anyway 😏

So try not to worry about it, I know it’s hard when you’re mourning the perfect little smile but it almost certainly hurt you more than it hurt her X

If the tooth goes grey then it will be pulled. I was devastated when my baby chipped his teeth, it took a long time of feeling guilty before I loved his beautiful smile for being that bit different. I still worry he will be bullied for it but I’m sure when the time comes he’ll be the bully or get bullied for something else! The teeth will round off after time and smooth out. As you can see, he chipped multiple and teething on hard items really ground them down after time

Thank you both, that is reassuring. Yes the broken edge is sharp, although I have managed to BF without too much discomfort.

I should note that we breastfeed and as he gets lazy latching it has caused a wound in my nipple when he scraped the teeth across the skin several times per day, make sure you correct her latch before this happens because once it starts it’s difficult to prevent the damage to your skin

She won't be uncomfortable, but prepare yourself for the news that it may have to be removed.

Exactly this happened to my DD and she had it removed a few months later. I can't actually remember the reason why, but it turned dark and the dentist was concerned about it, so it had to go. Because of her age, it had to be removed under GA, which was pretty terrifying at the time, but she was absolutely fine - the hardest part for her was that she had to go hungry for a few hours before the op. She didn't so much as whimper when she came round. In fact, she opened her eyes and demanded a banana and a yoghurt, which she got.

Her adult tooth was slow to descend - she eventually lost the other one and the adult one came through about 18m ahead of the one she lost. I was getting quite worried but then, sure enough, it appeared and is absolutely fine. No ill effects whatsoever.

She subsequently went on to lose another tooth through misadventure, but at least that one was ripped from the socket in one piece 🤦🏻‍♀️

Thank you so much, I am feeling less stressed to hear Mums who have been through the same. I guess I should go to bed and try not to worry. I really hope I can get an appointment early tomorrow.

Oh and my DD went on to bf until she was 3.5 (another story) so it shouldn't cause an issue there (except for you).

Another one here - my little girl did it on the bath edge. It didn’t go grey and is still there but ha smoothed out. I was so upset at the time, but it got less noticeable. At least baby teeth fall out anyway!

Mine did the same at the same age. Tore her frenulum too. It bled a lot and was horrible.

It bothered her for about half an hour and then she was fine.

Chances are it’s a cosmetic chip and no nerve damage.

My DS also smashed his front two teeth falling off his bike aged 6. Again, just cosmetic and no damage.

Please try not to worry!

My DS did the same thing at 13 months. It was fine, I was expecting it to turn grey but it didn't.
I felt a little bit sad that he had ruined his lovely teeth, but baby teeth file down really quickly, so after a while you could barely even notice.

Two of my siblings knocked their teeth as toddlers and the tooth turned grey. But neither of them had the tooth pulled, the dentist said to leave it until it fell out naturally. They never had any problems.

I sobbed when DD broke one of her front teeth at that age, but 4 years on you can hardly notice it. It will wear down so any sharp bits will be rounded off. Keep an eye out for if it turns grey.

My dd chipped one tooth her front then 4 days later chipped another... she was learning to walk and couldn't quite keep balance ran and fell on her face. We rent with wooden floors. We have a rug but she managed to do all this on the tiny patch that wasn't with a rug it's only noticeable to us. If I mention it to others they don't see it really. This was about a year ago and it's smoothing over. And she was breastfed for a while. It did hurt and is why we stopped. Didn't go grey either. It will be fine. Purely cosmetic

Thanks for all your comments. A lot calmer about it now. Went to the dentist this morning and he thinks it is probably only the enamel that has broken off. Just said to keep an eye on it and to come back in if it turned grey or there was swelling.

When I told my team leader why I would be late in, he said all 3 of his kids had tooth trauma with there baby teeth. He looked at it as a right of passage or a lesson in how to look after your teeth ready for when you get your big teeth .

I am amazed how many kids this seems to have happened to. Really hope her tooth doesn’t turn grey though.

also my dd knocked a tooth (through her bottom lip ouch) and it did go grey but this rectified itself in a couple of months.

OP, what happened eventually? Did the tooth go grey? We're going through something similar currently - too stressed! 😥

@MumOfEmi No, thankfully it didn't. She's seven now and has her adult tooth growing and it appears to be growing normally. Was strangely a bit sad when the broken baby tooth came out, it had become a part of the character of how she looked. Her and my older Dd had nicknamed it chippy. My oldest Dd when it came out said 'Nooo, not chippy' 🤣. I really hope your little one's tooth is ok and doesn't go grey and you'll look back in it as we do.