Even if your child visits a pediatric dentist regularly for checkups and cleanings, there is still a risk that they could require emergency dental care at some point during their childhood. Accidents can and do happen, but knowing how to react and what to do in the short term can help.
We do advise parents and caregivers whose child requires emergency dental care to give us a call as soon as possible so we can arrange an emergency appointment. You’ll find our dental team can also offer good advice over the phone on how to cope until you can bring your child into our dental office.
Dealing with Toothache – Emergency Dental Care
Toothache is possibly one of the most common reasons for emergency dental care. Before you give us a call it is worth gently cleaning and flossing around the painful tooth and getting your kid to rinse their mouth with warm water. This is because sometimes a tooth can be slightly dislodged by a piece of food trapped in between and removing the impacted food could be enough to get rid of the pain.
If this doesn’t work, contact us to book an appointment. In the meantime you can help relieve your child’s discomfort by giving them age-appropriate over-the-counter painkillers. Please don’t place aspirin directly on the gum tissue as it can burn. If their face is swollen, use cold compresses to help them feel more comfortable and make sure they get to emergency dental care as soon as possible.
Knocked out Baby Tooth
If your kid has knocked out a baby tooth then this probably isn’t an emergency but please do contact us for advice. Often no treatment will be required. You shouldn’t try to reinsert the baby tooth as you could damage the adult tooth underneath.
Knocked out Permanent Tooth
This definitely is an emergency dental care problem as sometimes it is possible to successfully reinsert the tooth within the first half an hour to an hour of the accident. Pick up the tooth by its dental crown which is the part you can normally see in the mouth. If necessary, rinse off any dirt with plain water but don’t scrub the tooth. You can try to reinsert the tooth yourself, otherwise place in a small container with a little of your child’s saliva or milk. Your kid can also store it in their cheek if they are old enough and aren’t likely to swallow it.
Chipped or Fractured Tooth
Contact us immediately to book an appointment and store any tooth fragments to bring with you to your child’s appointment. It’s important to get a tooth mended even if the chip is relatively minor as it can still allow bacteria to get into the tooth, potentially causing an infection.
Cut Lip, Cheek or Tongue
If the injury is still bleeding, apply gentle pressure to stop it. If you can’t stop the bleeding then call your pediatrician or take your child to your nearest emergency dental care room (Read more: Dental Trauma).
If your child has suffered a blow to the jaws or head and you even suspect they may have concussion, then take them to the nearest emergency room immediately.
