Early Childhood Dental Emergencies and First Aid Measures in the Classroom

Introduction

The early childhood period, which is from birth to eight years, is a critical period of development that requires close attention and appropriate action. More importantly, from the age of two, when many children are full of energy and would like to express and expend their energy, they like to run around, jump and climb the wall or bounce around. Many teachers and even parents see the characteristics as being abnormal and many-a-time punish them for expending energy (Darryl, 2020). It has to be pointed out that it is naturally and medically appropriate for children within this age range to be energetic (Bruijns et al., 2020), hence, it is necessary that early childhood teachers have clear understanding about these children in order to help them accordingly. Due to the boisterous energy in this age cohort, they like to play around during recess whether in the classroom, on the playground and even around the school premises. Sometimes, they engage in rough play that may result in accidents which may be dental emergencies (Arathi Rao et al., 2012).

By dental emergencies, it simply means hazards or accidents that lead to breaking or removal of teeth as well as damage to the jaw or other structures in the mouth of a person. In light of this, this paper is focused on accidents or injuries sustained by a young child leading to either breaking, removal of tooth/teeth, injury to the jaw, tongue, gum and lips. In early childhood classrooms, various kinds of dental emergencies can occur. Oral injuries have been found to make up as high as 17% of bodily injuries in preschool age children and several epidemiological studies carried out in different countries assessing the prevalence of dental injuries involving primary/milk teeth are said to be approximately 30% with some data showing as high as 40% (Anderson, 2013; Glendor, Andersson, 2007; Otuyemi, Segun – Ojo et al., 1996; Eilert-Petersson, Andersson et al., 1997; Born, Jackson, and Koroluk, 2019). The most pathetic as reported in most of the studies is that no significant change has occurred in the dental trauma of children in some countries in the past three decades. It is considered as a public health problem and a more major threat to the anterior teeth of children (Andreasen, Andreasen, et al., 2007). The causes of oral injuries in children from preschool to school age have been linked with fall from any level, being hit by other children or on the playground or sport field.

When children experience oral injuries, there are multiple ripple effects of such especially when proper and early management is not done. For instance, a child who sustains a broken tooth as a result of a fall will not be able to chew properly because of pain and if it is an anterior/front tooth, the child will not be able to smile confidently, hence the self esteem may be compromised as the child grows (Jessica and Kimon Divaris, 2000). Mismanagement of such oral injuries can lead to premature loss of the tooth/teeth causing psychological harm and distress to the child. Injuries to the primary/milk teeth may also affect the developing permanent teeth and result in abnormalities such as brownish tooth discolouration, teeth with pits, very small teeth or the permanent teeth may not even erupt/grow out. Proper and early management of these oral injuries will reduce the severity and complications that may result and thereby maintain aesthetics and function of the teeth and structures within the mouth (Pujita et al., 2013).