Pediatric Dental Emergencies

“Excellent service from the front desk to dentist chair.”

We hope your child never needs our emergency services, but if needed, know that you can always contact us after hours by calling the appropriate branch. We are here to assist you when your child’s dental health is at risk.

Below are tips on dealing 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.

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 press a cold compress (a cold, wet towel or washcloth) 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 gently remove it. Never use a metal, plastic, or sharp tool to remove a stuck object. If you are unable to dislodge the item with dental floss, give us a call.

BROKEN, CHIPPED, OR FRACTURED TOOTH

If your child 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 child’s tooth has been knocked out, find the tooth and rinse it with water (no soap), and only touch the crown (the upper part) of the tooth. If you can, place the tooth back in its socket and hold it in place with a clean towel or cloth.

If you can’t return the tooth to its socket, place it in a clean container with milk. In either case, call us immediately and/or go to the hospital. If you act quickly, it’s possible to save a permanent, or adult tooth.

Unfortunately, primary (“baby”) teeth are generally not re-implanted. If one of your child’s primary teeth has been knocked out, you will want to schedule a visit to our practice as soon as possible so your dentist can ensure there are no fragments of tooth remaining.

LOOSE TOOTH

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

TOOTHACHE

If your child complains of a toothache, rinse the mouth with warm water and inspect the teeth to be sure there is nothing caught between them. If pain continues, use a cold compress to ease the pain. Do not apply heat or any kind of aspirin or topical pain reliever directly to the affected area, because this can damage the gums. 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 go 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

Follow these simple tips to help your child avoid dental emergencies:

• Child-proof your house to avoid falls. 
• Don’t let your child chew on ice, popcorn kernels, or other hard foods. 
• Prevent toothaches with regular brushing and flossing.
• Always use car seats for young children and require seatbelts for older children. 
• Don’t skip regular dental visits.
• If your child plays contact sports, he or she should always wear a mouthguard. We can create a custom-fitted mouthguard for your son or daughter

We want your child to have an active, healthy lifestyle. We’re dedicated to treating your son or daughter any time there’s a dental emergency.  In case of an emergency, contact us by calling  the appropriate branch.