Dental Problems in Children

Children love adventure and carefree play, and we can only encourage that! This also means they regularly... fall. Most of the time, they land on their hands, but sometimes it goes wrong, and your little one ends up landing directly on their face. On this page, you can read more about first aid for dental accidents.

Symptoms of Dental Accidents

If your child falls hard on their mouth, it is often accompanied by significant bleeding. The lips and tongue may be severely damaged because of the fall. The good news is that the mouth heals quickly.

Try to stay calm so your child doesn't panic. Rinse the mouth with water so you can properly check if there is any damage to the teeth.

It may be that only a piece of tooth has broken off, or that the teeth have become loose. The teeth may also have shifted or been pushed inward.

Is your child in a lot of pain? Ask them to show you where it hurts, and consider giving pain relievers. Only give your child pain relievers prescribed by the doctor or ask your pharmacist for advice.

Want to keep your teeth healthy?

How can you keep dental care costs under control? Read it in our free e-book.

Download the e-book

What to Do in Case of Dental Accidents

There are several possible situations. Your child:

breaks a baby tooth
breaks a permanent tooth
has a tooth that is loose because of the fall
loses the tooth or needs to have the tooth extracted

In all cases, it is recommended to store the tooth (or tooth fragment) in physiological serum (available at the pharmacy or supermarket) for up to 6 hours. Never hold the tooth by the root! The tooth may still be able to be reinserted.

Then, it’s best to contact your dentist as soon as possible, as they can provide the necessary care based on the trauma your child has experienced. In some cases, there may also be other injuries, such as a broken jaw or facial injuries.

As Soon as Possible, Go to the Dentist

Baby teeth fall out eventually, so damage to the permanent teeth is more troublesome. If a tooth has fallen out, the speed of reimplantation is especially important. A tooth that is reinserted into the mouth within 20 minutes has a 95% chance of reattaching. If it takes two hours or longer to reinsert the tooth, the chance of reattachment drops to less than 10%. Teeth that are only loose are easier to reattach than teeth that have completely fallen out. However, the future of teeth and molars that have been reinserted is always uncertain. Teeth with broken fragments can now fortunately be almost invisibly restored.

Reimbursement of Dental Costs in Case of Accidents

The statutory health insurance reimburses many dental costs, but not everything. The dental insurance Dentalia Up reimburses up to €4,000 for tooth damage from accidents. The dental insurance is free for children up to 3 years old. If you sign up your child before their 5th birthday, they will receive the highest reimbursement. Read here why dental insurance is a good idea, and what you can get reimbursed.

Note: Be sure to visit the dentist at least once a year for preventive care. Both the statutory health insurance and the supplementary dental insurance Dentalia Up reimburse more to those who go for annual dental check-ups.

More about Dentalia Up

Looking for an answer to your questions?

Do you have a question about the Dentalia Up dental insurance? We are happy to help. You can find answers to the most frequently asked questions on our FAQ page. You can also contact our customer advisors through various channels. Together, we will review your question or situation.