Dental Emergencies

PERMANENT TOOTH: If a permanent tooth is knocked out it should be immediately put back in its socket. If this is not possible, place the tooth in milk and take your child to a dentist ASAP. If you do not have milk available, the child's saliva is OK to use. Do not leave the tooth to dry out. Do Not handle the tooth by the root. Pick it up by the crown and be careful not to rub or scrape the root. The sooner the tooth can be reimplanted, the better its chance for success.

BABY TOOTH: Baby teeth are generally NOT reimplanted. The risk of injuring the permanent tooth underneath is too great. Save the baby tooth for the tooth fairy. Your child should be seen for follow up by a Pediatric Dentist to insure that there are no other injuries.

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TOOTH KNOCKED LOOSE

If your child has a permanent tooth that has been knocked very loose or displaced, the tooth may need to be repositioned and splinted to hold it in place. If the tooth is displaced from its original position by the trauma, the sooner it is repositioned the better. Contact your Pediatric Dentist. If your child has a baby tooth that has been knocked loose or displaced, it is only repositioned if it greatly interferes with the child's bite and if it can be repositioned gently. Too much forceful movement of the baby tooth can cause injury to the developing permanent tooth underneath it. Contact your Pediatric Dentist. Any child who has had a tooth knocked loose should stay on a soft diet for about a week.

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TOOTH FRACTURE

If your child has fractured a tooth due to trauma, call your pediatric dentist and explain the situation to them. Fractures that have a nerve exposed need timely treatment. If there is no nerve exposed and the fracture is not severe, keep your child on a soft, bland diet until they can be seen by a dentist. Avoid soft drinks, citrus drinks, or any temperature extremes. You may try to save the broken fragment as they can sometimes be bonded back together as a temporary measure. Otherwise, the fractured tooth can be covered and restored using a tooth colored composite material. It is best for any child that has had tooth trauma to stay on a soft diet for at least 3 to 5 days, preferably about a week.

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TOOTHACHE

Minor toothache: If your child complains of a tooth hurting when they eat it could be the sign of a serious cavity. If the pain only occurs with eating, especially with sweet or cold foods, you should schedule an appointment to have the area evaluated. Have your child avoid sweet or sticky foods, and foods that are hot or cold. Brush and floss the area to keep it very clean until your child can be seen.

Severe toothache: If your child has a severe toothache that keeps them awake at night, starts all by itself, or is not relieved by children's Tylenol or Children's Ibuprofen, a tooth may be starting to get infected. Rinse the area with warm (not hot) water. Make sure the area is cleansed of all food debris by brushing and flossing. Call a Pediatric Dentist. If it can be determined that your child has an abscessing tooth, it can usually be managed with prescription medications until your child's problem can be appropriately treated. Attempting emergency treatment of an abscessing tooth in a very young child can often be very traumatic, so it is best to manage with medications first and then provide appropriate treatment when it can be done in a safe and comfortable manner.

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SWELLING

Minor Swelling: If your child has swelling inside the mouth, call your Pediatric Dentist immediately . This is usually managed initially with antibiotics, but it is important that they are started as soon as possible.

Severe swelling: if your child has severe swelling of the face that extends below the jaw or above the cheekbone, they should be seen immediately in the emergency room. This is an indication of a very serious infection that needs to be managed quickly with antibiotics.

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CUTS OR WOUNDS

Most minor cuts or wounds inside the mouth heal with minimal intervention. If there is bleeding, apply firm pressure with a clean cloth for several minutes and reevaluate. If the cut is large, extends from the lip through the skin, or if bleeding does not stop after a few minutes, take your child to the emergency room. Puncture wounds inside the mouth should always be seen by a physician or dentist. With any injury, if your child is not up to date on their immunizations, they may need a tetanus shot. Initial first aid care for any cut around the mouth is to gently rinse the area with lukewarm water, apply pressure to the bleeding, evaluate for other injuries, evaluate the extent of the injury, and determine if professional care is needed.

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