As a Parent you never want to see your child in pain. Unfortunately, pediatric dental emergencies can occur. Below we are going to give you the four most common types of emergency calls that we receive and how to handle them to achieve the best possible outcome.
With any dental trauma if your child has lost consciousness or has signs of a concussion, take your child to the emergency room.
Toothache
Unfortunately toothaches are the most common emergency call we receive and rarely occur without a cause. The most common causes of a toothache are decay, abscess (infection) or trauma.
What you should do:
- Assess the area and look for any fractures on the tooth or white bubbles on the gums.
- Call your child’s pediatric dentist to seek advice. They will be able to do x-rays and an in depth exam to figure out the cause of the toothache.
Broken Tooth
It is no secret that children are more prone to falling and these types of accidents can result in a broken tooth. In most cases the front teeth are the most likely to sustain the injury.
What you should do:
- If your child is in pain give them a pediatrician approved pain reliever such as children’s Tylenol to help ease the discomfort for the time being.
- Call your child’s pediatric dentist immediately. They will need to see your child and take an x-ray to be able to properly diagnose how severe the fracture is and properly treat the injury.
Knocked out tooth (Dental Avulsion)
If your child’s tooth has been “knocked out” do your best not to panic as this will only alarm your child more. Call your child’s pediatric dentist right away and they will give you the proper steps to take in order address the situation. Depending on if it is an adult tooth or a baby tooth the steps may be different.
What you should do for a permanent tooth:
- Recover the tooth but don’t touch the roots! Try your best to handle the crown only (the crown of the tooth is the portion of the tooth visible in the mouth).
- If at all possible lightly rinse off any debris and replant the tooth immediately (put the tooth back into the socket).
- If unable to replant the tooth, place the tooth into a solution known as Save-a-tooth (a lot of schools have this available). If this solution is not an option then place the tooth in a glass of milk and call the dentist immediately.
What to do for a baby tooth:
- If it is a baby tooth do not try to replant the tooth. Baby teeth can not be replanted.
- Call your child’s pediatric dentist as soon as possible! Your child will need to be seen and an x-ray taken to make sure the entire tooth has come out.
Dental Concussion
A dental concussion is when a tooth has been bumped but has not been dislodged or fractured. This occurs more frequently in smaller children and can cause the tooth to become temporarily or permanently discolored. Typically this type of injury does not require treatment and the tooth only needs to be monitored but it is best to call your dentist and have the child seen for an evaluation.
If you have any further questions about a dental or emergency or your child has experienced something that is not on this list please give us a call, we are always happy to help!