It is an undeniable fact that how effective oral and dental health is in the proper functioning of body functions. However, having insufficient information about dental traumas causes delays in some treatments and more difficult solving of problems. Therefore, it is extremely important that you have enough information about dental trauma.
What is Dental Trauma?
Tooth trauma is defined as tooth fractures or tooth loss. Since the wounds in the mouth and teeth as a result of trauma can cause serious pain and problems, it will be one of the best choices to consult a dentist as soon as possible.
What are the Types of Dental Trauma?
There are two different types of dental trauma. These are;
- Broken Tooth
- Malalignment
Broken Tooth: A superficial tooth fracture means that the tooth fracture is limited only by the hard outer coating from the crown of the tooth. If such fractures are not separated from the tooth, they do not constitute a serious problem. In addition, such fractures are treated according to the wishes of the person.
Teeth are not always superficially broken. Therefore, you are likely to encounter serious tooth fractures. Severe broken tooth trauma can make your tooth extremely sensitive, and anything touching it will result in a sharp pain in the area. This can lead to tooth and gum inflammation. For this reason, the dentist should be visited as soon as possible and the necessary treatment should be applied.
Malalignment: The teeth can be displaced as a result of any impact from the outside. Depending on the severity of the blow, the teeth may be buried deeper or loosen completely. When the severity of the trauma increases a little more, it can cause the tooth to break and even damage the jawbone that keeps the tooth fixed.
When your teeth are malaligned as a result of dental trauma, blood vessels are damaged. To treat the damaged blood vessels, you need to consult a dentist for various treatments, such as root canal treatment.
What Causes Tooth Trauma?
The main causes of dental trauma are as follows:
- Impacts taken in situations such as fights
- Impacts in close contact sports
- Excessive hot food consumption
- Impacts to the mouth and teeth during motor vehicle accidents
- Breaking hard or crusty foods with teeth
Treatment of Dental Trauma
If, for any reason, the tooth is out of its usual position, loosened or broken, a dentist should be consulted as soon as possible and help should be sought for the treatment of dental trauma. The sooner you go to the dental clinic, the easier it is to save the tooth. Over time, it can become more difficult to treat. The severity of tooth trauma is one of the most important factors that determine whether the tooth can be treated or not.
If the fractures in the teeth are small in size and do not cause serious problems at the same time, they can be treated with filling derivatives.
If the fractures have damaged the tooth enamel, pulp and dentin area, permanent restoration procedures are applied. Up to certain levels, dental traumas can be treated with root canal treatment.
Ways to Prevent Dental Trauma
Most dental traumas can be prevented with precautionary measures. Being a little more careful in your daily life is the most important precaution.
You can prevent most dental traumas by following the steps below.
- At home or at work, you should check the items that may cause you to fall or the slipperiness on the floor.
- You should definitely wear your seat belts while traveling by car. Because the seat belt will protect you in a possible accident.
- Do not take safety precautions for your toddlers. Otherwise, your children may fall and get hit. As a result, they may face dental trauma.
