PEDIATRIC DENTAL EMERGENCIES
If you face a dental emergency, give us a call immediately. If you need urgent treatment after hours, you can call our emergency number. We are always here to assist when your child’s dental health is at risk. Below are tips on dealing with urgent dental situations.
Bitten lip or tongue
If your child has bitten his lip or tongue severely enough to cause bleeding, clean the bite gently with water and use a cold compress (a cold, wet towel or washcloth pressed firmly against the area) to reduce or avoid swelling. Give us a call to help determine how serious the bite is. If bleeding cannot be controlled by simple pressure, please go to the hospital emergency room.
Broken, chipped, or fractured tooth
If your child has chipped or broken a piece off of his tooth, have him rinse his mouth with warm water, then use a cold compress to reduce swelling. Try to locate and save the tooth fragment that broke off. Contact our office to get scheduled as soon as possible. If bleeding is coming from the fractured area of the tooth itself, this is a situation that needs to be treated immediately.
Tooth knocked into different position
Contact our office as soon as possible as the tooth may need to be re-positioned in some cases.
Tooth knocked out completely
- For a permanent tooth, find the tooth if possible, taking care not to touch the root of the tooth. Gently rinse any debris off with water, and if no root fractures are noted, try to reinsert the tooth into its socket, holding it in place by biting on a cloth. Otherwise, place the tooth in milk and call us immediately. This is a true emergency and it may be possible to save the tooth if treatment is timely.
- For a primary tooth (baby tooth), contact our office as soon as possible, but DO NOT re-insert the tooth into its socket. It is not recommended for primary teeth.
Toothache with swelling
If your child has swelling in the gum tissue by a tooth or cheek, with or without tooth pain, call our office as soon as possible as it could be a sign of an infection or abscess.
Head injury or trauma with or without tooth injury
If your child has had a head injury involving height or high speeds, or if he/she vomits more than once, experiences dizziness or confusion, or loses consciousness, call 911 or if conscious immediately go to the hospital emergency room. Concussions and other severe head trauma should be addressed ahead of tooth injuries. Follow up with our office as soon as possible afterward.
Possible fractured or broken jaw
If you know or suspect your child has sustained a broken jaw, this requires immediate medical attention. Emergency symptoms can include difficulty breathing or heavy bleeding. Call 911 or go to the hospital emergency room. Do not try to correct the position of the jaw but support it in a way to minimize movement on your way to the hospital. Follow-up with our office as soon as possible afterward.