When it comes to raising children, parents have a lot on their plates. In order to help parents prepare for their rigorous duties, we’ve outlined a few common dental emergencies, and how you can handle them.
How to Handle Your Child’s Dental Emergency
First, stay calm and assess the severity of your child’s injury. Any blow to the head should be taken very seriously, and you should thoroughly evaluate your child and decide if they need to go to the hospital.
Toothache
A toothache is a common problem that people of all ages experience. The best to way to treat them is by cleaning the affected area of the tooth. Rinse out their mouth with warm water, and floss near the tooth to dislodge any debris. If their pain persists for more than a day afterwards, then contact us at the office.
Knock out Baby Tooth
Contact us! Unlike a permanent tooth, the baby tooth should not be replaced due to possible damage to the developing permanent tooth.
Knocked out Permanent Tooth
If possible, locate the tooth and rinse it with water only. Do not clean the tooth with soap, and only handle it by the crown, not by the root. After you have rinsed it off, store it in a plastic bag or cup filled with milk, or your child’s saliva, not water. After storing the tooth, take your child to their pediatric dentist so that they can reinsert the tooth. If you want to keep the tooth, it is important that they see us as soon as possible.
Tools needed: cool clean water, Ziploc bag/cup, milk, clean gauze.
Chipped or Fractured Permanent Tooth
Time is an important factor to restore a chipped or fractured permanent tooth. Have your child rinse out their mouth with water to reduce the chance of infection. If you have a piece of the fractured tooth, keep it in a bag or glass of milk and bring it to our dental office as soon as possible.
Tools needed: cool clean water, Ziploc bag, milk, clean gauze.
Oral Cuts
First, rinse out their mouth with cool, clean water. If there is bleeding, apply gentle pressure with a gauze or cloth. If the bleeding can’t be controlled, then call the doctor or visist the emergency room.
Tools needed: cool clean water, clean gauze or clean cloth.
Blow to the Head
If your child suffers any sort of head injury, it is important that you call 911 immediately. Take your child to the nearest hospital or emergency room to get them the necessary medical treatment.
Tools needed: clean warm water, floss.
Visit Our Office
Dental emergencies happen, but the best way parents can prepare is by establishing a reliable dental home for their family. We would love to have your family join ours, so schedule an appointment with our office! We offer stress-free first visits that help ease anxious young children that are new to visiting the dentist.
