How To Handle a Baby Tooth Pushed Into the Gum After a Fall

It’s a moment every parent dreads—a slip, a fall, and then tears. When you look inside your child’s mouth and notice a baby tooth seems “missing” or pushed deeper into the gum, it can be scary. This dental injury is called tooth intrusion, and it happens when a tooth is driven up instead of being knocked out.

While it may look serious, quick action and professional care can help your child heal properly and prevent long-term problems with their adult teeth.

What Happens When a Baby Tooth Is Pushed Into the Gum?

When a baby tooth is intruded, it moves upward into the bone or gum tissue. This can damage the tooth’s root, surrounding bone, and even the developing permanent tooth beneath it.

The extent of the injury depends on:

• How far the tooth was pushed in
• The direction of the impact
• Your child’s age and tooth development

Some intruded teeth may re-erupt on their own within a few months, while others may need dental intervention.

What To Do Immediately After the Fall

Stay calm and follow these steps to help your child until you reach a pediatric dentist:

1. Check for bleeding, swelling, or other injuries to the lips and gums.
2. Do not try to pull the tooth out or reposition it. You could cause more damage to the tooth or developing permanent tooth underneath.
3. Control bleeding. Use a clean gauze pad and apply gentle pressure for 5–10 minutes.
4. Apply a cold compress. This helps reduce swelling and pain.
5. Call your pediatric dentist right away. At Sunny Smiles Pediatric Dentistry, we can perform a thorough evaluation to assess the injury and take digital X-rays if needed.

When To See a Pediatric Dentist

Even if your child isn’t in pain, you should always have a pediatric dentist evaluate a pushed-in baby tooth. The dentist will check for:

• Damage to the root or surrounding bone
• Injury to the developing permanent tooth
• Signs of infection or abscess
• Mobility or discoloration of nearby teeth

Dr. Marai Vales and the Sunny Smiles team are trained to manage dental trauma in children, offering gentle care to help your child feel safe and comfortable.

Treatment Options for an Intruded Baby Tooth

Treatment depends on the severity of the intrusion:

• Minor intrusion: The tooth may re-erupt naturally within two to six months. Regular monitoring with X-rays ensures healthy healing.
• Moderate to severe intrusion: If the tooth is pressing against the developing permanent tooth or shows signs of infection, it may need to be removed.
• Pain management: Over-the-counter children’s pain relievers and soft foods may be recommended.
• Follow-up visits: The dentist will monitor healing and watch for discoloration, infection, or delayed eruption of the adult tooth.

At Sunny Smiles Pediatric Dentistry, we use digital X-rays and gentle sedation options (like nitrous oxide) to make the process as stress-free as possible.

Preventing Future Dental Injuries

Kids are active and accidents happen, but you can reduce the risk of future dental trauma with a few simple steps:

• Use mouthguards during sports or activities like biking and skating.
• Baby-proof sharp corners and hard surfaces around the home.
• Teach safe play habits—no running with objects in the mouth.
• Schedule regular dental exams to keep teeth strong and healthy.

Gentle Care for Little Smiles

If your child’s baby tooth has been pushed into the gum, the best thing you can do is stay calm and call your pediatric dentist as soon as possible. 

To book an appointment at our pediatric dental office in St.Petersburg, call (727) 914-6611 or visit us at 8525 Dr MLK Jr St N St Petersburg, FL 33702.

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