Pediatric Dental Emergencies

If you experience a dental emergency, give us a call immediately. If your child requires urgent treatment after hours, you can call our emergency number.

We are always here to assist when your son or daughter’s dental health is at risk. Below are tips on how to deal with urgent dental situations. You may want to display this list on your refrigerator or store it near your emergency phone numbers for easy reference.

Download the Emergency Care Guide from the AAPD

Bitten Lip or Tongue

If your child has bitten a 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.

Object Caught In Teeth

If your child has something caught between his or her teeth, use dental floss to remove it gently. Never use a metal, plastic, or sharp tool to extract a stuck object. If you are unable to remove the item with dental floss, give us a call.

Broken, Chipped, or Fractured Tooth

If your youngster has chipped or broken a piece off of a tooth, have him or her rinse the mouth with warm water, then use a cold compress to reduce swelling. Try to locate and save the tooth fragment that broke off. Call us immediately.

Knocked-Out Tooth

If your little one’s tooth has been knocked out of the mouth, find the tooth and rinse it with water (no soap), taking care to touch only the crown (the part you can see when it’s in place). Place the tooth in a clean container with milk. Call us immediately and/or head to a hospital. If you act quickly, it’s possible to save the tooth.

Loose Tooth

If your little one has a very loose tooth, it should be removed to avoid being swallowed or inhaled.

Toothache

If your son or daughter complains of a toothache, rinse the mouth with warm water and inspect the teeth to make sure nothing is caught between them. If the pain continues, use a cold compress to ease it.

Do not apply heat or any kind of aspirin or topical pain reliever directly to the affected area, because this can cause damage to the gums. Children’s pain relievers may be taken orally. Schedule an appointment immediately.

Broken Jaw

If you know or suspect your child has sustained a broken jaw, use a cold compress to reduce swelling. Call our emergency number and/or head to the hospital immediately.

In many cases, a broken jaw is the result of a blow to the head. Severe blows to the head can be dangerous and even life-threatening.

Avoiding Injury

You can help your youngster avoid dental emergencies. Child-proof your house to avoid falls. Don't let your son or daughter chew on ice, popcorn kernels, or other hard foods.

Always use car seats for young children and require seat belts for older children. And if your child plays contact sports, have him or her wear a mouthguard.

Ask us about creating a custom-fitted mouthguard for your child. Finally, prevent toothaches with regular brushing, flossing, and visits to our office.