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Original poster

Toddler chipped tooth, feel really emotional about it

27 replies

NiceOneCenturion · 04/12/2012 15:11

My 19 month old fell over and chipped one of his front teeth, I know it's a relatively minor thing and he seems to be over it himself but I actually had a cry about it Blush.

I'm not usually the least bit precious about little accidents, but for some reason this really affected me. I think it's the fact he's going to be stuck with it like that until it falls out naturally. I'm taking him to the dentist in the morning but not sure what they can do. His gum bled a bit so just want to make sure it's ok.

Has this happened to anyone else? I guess I'd like to hear other people's experiences to help me put it in perspective and not feel like a such a bad mum for letting it happen Sad

OP posts:
madwomanintheattic · 04/12/2012 15:13

Perspective:

Dd1 did this with her two adult front teeth going over her handlebars. She was 7 years old. The teeth weren't even fully out of her gums ffs.

She will never have unchipped adult teeth.

He's going to lose his milk teeth in about 3 years, and have perfect adult teeth for the rest of his childhood and life.

Hey ho.

BlueSkySoftSand · 04/12/2012 15:16

My eldest chipped his front teeth around 18 months. Sure, I was a little gutted to start, but as madwoman says, thankfully just the milk teeth and they'll get some sparkly new ones in due course.

madwomanintheattic · 04/12/2012 15:17

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

1 year olds Children's health Dental health Families
madwomanintheattic · 04/12/2012 15:20

actually, thinking about it, dd2 did similar learning to walk (she has cp though, so that was an event in itself). She smashed up her face falling on it and turned one of her milk teeth grey. It was such a small part of her toddlerhood that I had completely forgotten about it!!

In a few years, I'm guessing you will have, too x

Pyrrah · 04/12/2012 15:24

Sometimes they can build them up a bit with the resin stuff - or at least file down any sharp edges.

I would have been upset too, so don't feel bad. Oh and toddlers fall over - just one of those things. DD looked like a battered child for months when she first started to walk.

girlsyearapart · 04/12/2012 15:28

When I was two weeks away from giving birth to dc4 dd3 then 15 months fell over holding a Big Lego type toy.

It went into her mouth and knocked all four of her front teeth up into her gums. One so bad they thought it had been knocked out and swallowed.

SO much blood it was unreal.

The hospital advised general anaesthetic & all teeth to be removed but we went to a private dentist who said they should stay.

They are all there now & a bit hillbilly looking & it was horrible at the time but I have got used to it now.

Original poster
NiceOneCenturion · 04/12/2012 15:35

Thank you. I needed that. Sorry about your dd madwoman, thank you for sharing that.

I do feel like a bit of an idiot for being so upset about it. I guess he's still so little I felt responsible.

OP posts:
derekthehamster · 04/12/2012 15:37

My dh knocked my son's tooth out with a football

nannynick · 04/12/2012 15:43

It's horrible when it happens, it really is. Imagine if it wasn't even your child, I felt really bad about it happening to a child in my care but accidents happen, we can't not go to the playground because the child may hit themselves in the mouth area.

Not a lot the dentist can do but do go along and get it looked at. They may be able to file it down a bit to make it less prone to scraping the lips, they may be able to build it up a bit but it may be more traumatic for your toddler to have dental work than leaving it as it is.

Milk teeth do get damaged, maybe that's why humans still have them. Go for regular dental checkups to make sure adult teeth when they come through are not affected.

Cadmum · 04/12/2012 15:54

Don't feel like an idiot. It is an emotional thing and you will have a constant reminder of the accident unless it is repaired.

My dd2 knocked out her four front teeth on the coffee table at 2 3/4when she tripped over the area rug. The middle two had been recently repaired because of decay which was already devastating since both dh and I felt like we were to blame for her lack of healthy enamel.

Fast forward 4 years and she still has a toothless grin but has lost her bottom teeth so I know it won't be long until she has a mouth full of teeth again. Judging from how active she is (constantly in motion; endlessly climbing; turning cartwheels and generally dancing about), I doubt they will last through her teens but I will be delighted if they do!

Original poster
NiceOneCenturion · 04/12/2012 15:59

x posts, yes madwoman that's true, I'm sure there'll be a lot more incidents as he progresses through childhood that will overshadow this one.

Thanks pyrrah.

girlsyearapart your poor dd, terrible timing for you!

I've always had problems with my teeth, resulting in bullying, trouble with eating, which I'm only just resolving as an adult, still having to wear braces etc his were coming through so nicely I think I was over invested in him avoiding teeth issues iyswim.

I've slapped myself in the face with a wet fish but not too hard in case I dislodge my retainer

Thanks everyone

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BartimaeusNeedsMoreSleep · 04/12/2012 16:04

DS chipped his tooth last month aged 13 months Sad Didn't notice for a few days Blush but worked out when it happened as suddenly the bedtime BF started to really hurt.

Cue panic for me - how would you get a 13 months old to sit still for a dentist? I decided I might have to bring forward stopping BF and in fact it's what pushed me to night-wean (the result is wonderful!)

However, within a week the edge his tooth had naturally rounded a bit and now BF doesn't hurt

I do feel a bit bad when he grins at me with his chipped tooth and wonky bottom teeth but only another 5 years before it gets replaced...Grin

Original poster
NiceOneCenturion · 04/12/2012 16:16

Thanks nannynick. There was a bit of blood and bruising round the roof of his mouth, so I was worried in case it might impact on his adult teeth. I will get it seen, though you're probably right at his age it's best to leave it be.
I think it's hard when something happens you just want to be able to do something, and you can't.

OP posts:
gymboywalton · 04/12/2012 16:21

my son KNOCKED out all his front teeth in 2 seperate incidents in one weekShock

i had to go and pick him up from school and found him sitting in reception covered in blood-it was on his glasses and everythingSad

he was fine-the dentist xrayed him to make sure nothing was left in the gum, then he had a long wait for his adult teeth and THEN when they came though, he chipped one of them! the dentist built it up for him and it was fine!

lljkk · 04/12/2012 16:22

I know someone whose twins both lost (bashed in various ways) all their top incisors by 4yo. They're fine now (nearly 10).

Original poster
NiceOneCenturion · 04/12/2012 16:24

Thanks cadmum. Your dd sounds lovely, I hope they all come back in for her ok.

And yes to the reminder thing, I think I'll feel better when his fat lip goes down as at the moment he looks like Rocky Balboa which isn't helping. And he sounds a bit like him too.

Yes bartimaeus that is a concern here too, ds is bfing through the night at the moment as his molars are coming through. I've been almost at my limit with it so far this week as it is, and the ragged tooth on top is just adding insult to injury. Or possibly more injury. How did you night wean? It is tempting.

OP posts:
SolomanDaisy · 04/12/2012 16:27

My toddler has chipped 3 of his front teeth, in two accidents while he was learning to cruise. They were barely through and he didn't know you had to hold your hands out to stop yourself falling. I feel a bit shit about it too.

Original poster
NiceOneCenturion · 04/12/2012 16:35

Ah soloman it's hard isn't it because you have to encourage them to have a little freedom to learn but when it goes wrong you can't help feeling you should have prevented it in some way. Just not always possible. You shouldn't feel bad.

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BartimaeusNeedsMoreSleep · 04/12/2012 16:46

Oh nightweaning - currently my fave topic as I was so worried about it and it was so easy! Smile

We increased his milk intake during the day, by pushing his breakfast earlier (he used to eat it at 9am because before then he wasn't hungry as he'd been snacking in the night), adding in a feed (formula - I work FT) in the morning, and increasing his afternoon milk.

Did that for a couple of weeks. Then I braced myself for a set of unpleasant nights and stopped offering the breast after his initial bedtime feed.

When he wakes I offer him water (sometimes he gulps it down, other times refuses) then carry him around to calm him (but not in the BF position) then back in the cot to go to sleep.

He accepted it from night one with no tears. He cried when he woke but didn't cry when I didn't offer to feed him and didn't pull at my top or anything which really surprised me.

After a week I didn't even need to take him out of his cot, I just offer water, then lie him back down again and he's off. He's sleeping longer and waking less (unless teething in which case he needs cuddles and calpol). It's bliss!

A couple of months before night-weaning I'd started a gradual withdrawal technique (Andrea Grace) so DS had already stopped associating BF with sleep (I introduced a book between the BF and being put into his cot) and had learnt to go to sleep in his cot. I still have to sit with him and sing him to sleep but the nights are a huge improvement.

In fact, I think he might stop BF altogether soon. In the evening he BF, then I ask if he wants water and he pulls off the breast to drink water Hmm. So now he has his sippy cup during the story and by doing that he also wakes less in the night from thirst.

SolomanDaisy · 04/12/2012 16:50

It was months ago too Blush. I think I'm still bothered as one of his teeth has got worse as the bits beneath have flaked away. I do try to tell myself it's not permanent!

girlsyearapart · 04/12/2012 23:15

Yes it was terrible timing- especially after the day in hospital with her I was woken at night by dd2 who asked me to carry her back to bed and I slipped on the stairs.

Not wanting to fall on her or the bump I put my foot out to break the fall grazed my back & broke my toe so had to spend another day in hospital!

Anyway the dentist told us the strength of the milk teeth pushing on to the soft adult teeth can affect their growth but we won't know that until she's 6 or 7.

Original poster
NiceOneCenturion · 05/12/2012 10:54

Been to the dentist this morning, they think the impact wasn't too bad but I need to watch out for an abscess forming because of the bruising.

I feel a lot better about it today, got used to it a bit. Thanks for all your replies

Thanks for the info on nightweaning Bartimaeus, I have a very strong feeling my one will not go down without a fight, but I will have a think about those methods you suggested and will start some gradual changes. I would probably be a bit more equal to dealing with the odd chipped tooth if I was getting some sleep!

OP posts:
Eskarina · 05/12/2012 18:20

My 15month old dd chipped about 1/3 off one of her front incisors last week. Once she got over the shock of it (she just tripped in the kitchen, but we have a tiled floor and she appears to have fallen teeth first, mouth open - astonishingly there was no blood) she was fine, but as I realised what had happened I was more upset. By the time DH came in 45 min later I was in a far worse state of shock than she was! The dentist told me the same as you, though she did say that as the amount of tooth missing is so great she would consider a slight reconstruction for cosmetic purposes.
As others have said, at least it's the baby teeth!

valiumredhead · 06/12/2012 08:45

I Agree with mad's post - he will get new ones! My ds broke his adult tooth and it had only been through a week.

Lozy81 · 21/06/2025 23:11

Up to another 5uears more like not a few carnt you get caps on you're daughters I know dentist won't work on teeth really early but just a thought.but like you're daughter was 7when she got her first teeth so another 5plus is always front teeth that come out first

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