Avoiding Pediatric Dental Emergencies in the Pool Made Easy by DDAZ Expert
GLENDALE, Ariz. (May 3, 2017) — The thermometer is expected to exceed 100 degrees this week, which means swim season is officially underway! Although most people remember the most important rule of water safety—always watch kids around water—few realize that a lot of pediatric dental emergencies can happen near the swimming pool.
That’s why exerts at Delta Dental of Arizona say it’s important for adults to institute some preventive rules to avoid pool-related dental emergencies. Some of the most common injuries occur when kids misjudge distance when jumping in the pool and hit their mouth on the ledge or slip and fall on a wet deck.
Delta Dental of Arizona’s Tiffany Di Giacinto was a lifeguard and swim instructor for 12 years and offers three helpful smile safety tips for swimmers:
- If your child is a young adrenaline junkie, make sure he or she jumps into the pool from safe areas, like diving boards or platforms, and that the area is clear of other swimmers.
- If your little one likes to cannonball, flip or dive into the swimming pool, teach him or her to make sure the landing spot is deep enough! Many traumatic dental injuries are the result of an impact to the face from the side or floor of swimming pools.
- Encourage walking instead of running when around the pool. Running on wet, slippery cement or pool decking can result in a headfirst tumble.
“Most pool-related injuries—dental or otherwise—can be prevented,” Di Giacinto said. “I also recommend caregivers keep a phone by the pool so they can call 9-1-1 or their pediatric dentist quickly in case of emergency.” Even if a child follows all of the pool rules, accidents can still happen. Knowing how to respond to a chipped tooth or bleeding in the mouth is something to discuss with your pediatric dentist before an incident happens. Additionally, excessive exposure of the tooth enamel to the chlorine in many pools can cause brownish discolorations. If your child is a competitive swimmer and in the water more than 6 hours per week, talk to your dentist about the best ways to avoid swimming calculus.
For more smile tips and resources, including what to do in a dental emergency, visit the Delta Dental of Arizona Blog at www.deltadentalazblog.com.
About Delta Dental of Arizona
Delta Dental of Arizona is the leading dental benefits provider in Arizona, serving more than 1 million enrollees and more than 3,300 contracted dentists across the state. Passionate about oral health and its importance to generations of families, Delta Dental of Arizona has worked for more than 40 years to improve oral health by emphasizing preventive care and making dental coverage accessible to a wide variety of employers, groups and individuals. For more information about Delta Dental of Arizona, visit www.deltadentalaz.com.
