Emergencies
With any type of dental emergency, immediate dental care is important! Please call 214-484-3199 to schedule your child's dental emergency appointment as soon as symptoms develop or as close to the time of accident/injury as possible.
What should I do if my child falls and knocks out a tooth?
Remain calm. Find the tooth/fragments, if possible. If you cannot find the tooth, it may be intruded (pushed up into the bone) or it may have been swallowed (which may necessitate chest X-rays to confirm it is not lodged in the lungs). It's necessary to examine your son or daughter as close to the time of the accident as possible to assess the extent of the trauma.
Knocked-Out Primary (Baby) Tooth: Do not attempt to replant. Keep it light-hearted and show your child enthusiasm that the tooth fairy will be coming early! We will want to evaluate your child to assess any effects on the neighboring teeth, jaws, and soft tissues.
Knocked-Out Permanent Tooth: Find the tooth. Handle it by the crown, not the root portion. You may rinse the tooth but DO NOT clean or handle it unnecessarily.
Inspect the tooth for fractures. If it is sound, try to reinsert it in the socket. Have your child hold the tooth in place by biting on a piece of gauze.
If you cannot reinsert the tooth, transport it in a cup containing your child’s saliva or chilled (low fat) milk. Call us IMMEDIATELY! Time is a critical factor to save the tooth.
Fractured Teeth: Find any tooth fragments. Check to see if there is any pulp exposure by looking for pink or red dots in the fractured area. If there is no pulp exposure, timing is not as crucial; however, your child’s teeth will be sensitive.
Age-appropriate Tylenol or Motrin may be given for any discomfort. It is necessary to evaluate your child as soon as possible to assess the injury and any effects to the neighboring teeth, jaws, and soft tissues.
What should I do if my child is in pain?
Teething: From 6 months to age 3, your child may have sore gums when teeth erupt. Many children like a clean teething ring, cool spoon, or cold wet washcloth. We do not recommend the use of topical numbing gels.
Children may also get teething pain when the permanent first molars emerge (around 6 years of age) and when the second permanent molars appear (around 12 years of age). For children over the age of 1, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (Advil, Motrin) help keep teething discomfort to a minimum.
Toothache or Abscess: Clean the area of the affected tooth thoroughly. Rinse the mouth vigorously with warm water or use dental floss to dislodge impacted food or debris.
If the pain persists, contact your child’s dentist. DO NOT place aspirin on the gum or on the aching tooth. To keep your little one comfortable, children’s Advil, Motrin, or Tylenol may be sufficient until the patient is able to come to see us. If the face is swollen, go to the nearest emergency room immediately, preferably a children's hospital.
Swollen, red gums, ulcers, inability to eat: Ulcers, cold sores, and other types of lesions can be painful and interfere with daily activities. Contact us so we may evaluate the condition. Often we are able to offer treatment options that can speed up the healing process. Keep your child hydrated with cool drinks, popsicles and a soft, bland diet (avoid acidic or salty foods).
Tylenol, Advil, or Motrin is usually sufficient to keep your son or daughter comfortable. Upon evaluation, dentist will determine if your child could benefit from prescription medications and/or mouth rinses.
Cut or Bitten Tongue, Lip, or Cheek: Apply ice to bruised areas. If there is bleeding, apply firm but gentle pressure with a gauze or cloth. If heavy bleeding does not stop after 10 minutes or it cannot be controlled by simple pressure, take the child to a hospital emergency room.
Lost/Loose Crown or Spacer: If the crown/spacer is loose or has come off, call our office as soon as possible. Save the crown/spacer and bring it with you so we may try to refit it to the tooth. Keep the area clean.
