HARTFORD -- According to Dr. Jillian Wallen, a Pediatric Dentist and Associate Professor at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, dental injuries spike in the summer for two age ranges – toddlers, who are learning to walk, and early teens who are playing sports.
"There is a range of trauma, from a concussion, where your tooth is only bumped to a chipped tooth where only the outer part of the tooth or enamel is broken,” Wallen said, “The most severe dental trauma is when you lose a tooth."
If your child does chip or lose a tooth, Dr. Wallen said you have options, outside of getting cosmetic veneers.
She said there are tooth-preserving systems you can buy, one of which is called “Save-A-Tooth.”
Dr. Walden said they can help preserve the tooth’s vitality. However, if that’s not an option, she said you can resort to a homemade alternative.
"It's important to know if you don't have that available that cold milk is just as good," Dr. Wallen said, adding that the cold milk will keep cells alive until the tooth can be re-implanted.
If you don’t have that available, then Dr. Wallen said you can use water in a pinch, but it’s chances of working aren’t as good.