Broken Tooth

When it comes to raising children, parents have a lot on their plates. In order to help parents prepare for their rigorous duties, we’ve outlined a few common dental emergencies, and how you can handle them.  

How to Handle Your Child’s Dental Emergency

First, stay calm and assess the severity of your child’s injury. Any blow to the head should be taken very seriously, and you should thoroughly evaluate your child and decide if they need to go to the hospital.  

Toothache

A toothache is a common problem that people of all ages experience. The best to way to treat them is by cleaning the affected area of the tooth. Rinse out their mouth with warm water, and floss near the tooth to dislodge any debris. If their pain persists for more than a day afterwards, then contact us at the office.  

Knock out Baby Tooth

Contact us! Unlike a permanent tooth, the baby tooth should not be replaced due to possible damage to the developing permanent tooth.  

Knocked out Permanent Tooth

If possible, locate the tooth and rinse it with water only. Do not clean the tooth with soap, and only handle it by the crown, not by the root. After you have rinsed it off, store it in a plastic bag  or cup filled with milk, or your child’s saliva, not water. After storing the tooth, take your child to their pediatric dentist so that they can reinsert the tooth. If you want to keep the tooth, it is important that they see us as soon as possible. 

Tools needed: cool clean water, Ziploc bag/cup, milk, clean gauze.  

Chipped or Fractured Permanent Tooth

Time is an important factor to restore a chipped or fractured permanent tooth. Have your child rinse out their mouth with water to reduce the chance of infection. If you have a piece of the fractured tooth, keep it in a bag or glass of milk and bring it to our dental office as soon as possible.  

Tools needed: cool clean water, Ziploc bag, milk, clean gauze.  

Oral Cuts

First, rinse out their mouth with cool, clean water. If there is bleeding, apply gentle pressure with a gauze or cloth. If the bleeding can’t be controlled, then call the doctor or visist the emergency room. 

Tools needed: cool clean water, clean gauze or clean cloth.  

Blow to the Head

If your child suffers any sort of head injury, it is important that you call 911 immediately. Take your child to the nearest hospital or emergency room to get them the necessary medical treatment. 

Tools needed: clean warm water, floss.  

Visit Our Office 

Dental emergencies happen, but the best way parents can prepare is by establishing a reliable dental home for their family. We would love to have your family join ours, so schedule an appointment with our office! We offer stress-free first visits that help ease anxious young children that are new to visiting the dentist.  

It can be scary when your child gets hurt or has an accident. As a parent, you’re equipped to handle a bruise or a scrape, but what about a broken tooth? Do you know how to handle a lost permanent tooth? Parents can take a few steps to help their children recover from a broken tooth, or one that is lost too early.  

Fractured Tooth

Children play rough, and that can lead to bumps, bruises, and even fractured teeth. If your child fractures a tooth, then gather what fragments you can find and store them in a clean container of cool water, saliva, or milk. Have your child rinse their mouth with warm water if they are experiencing any pain. It is important that you visit the dentist immediately to prevent infection and other complications that are brought on by chipped teeth. Your dentist will be able to repair your child’s tooth with their original fragment (if it’s stored properly) or with a filling. 

You can also use a tooth preservation system like the ADA Approved Save-A-Tooth. If the dislodged tooth is stored properly, then your dentist may be able to reinstall it. 

Knocked out Baby Tooth 

Baby teeth are temporary, however, if a baby tooth is knocked out too soon, it can lead to other teeth crowding the vacant spot. This can cause alignment issues when the permanent tooth begins to emerge, and could cause crooked teeth and biting problems. Visit your dentist within 24 hours if your child loses a baby tooth prematurely. Your dentist will be able to assess the state of the incoming adult tooth, and provide your child with a spacer to prevent crowding that may occur.  

Remember to store the lost tooth as described above, and bring it with you to your child’s dental appointment. 

Knocked or Lost Permanent Tooth

Permanent teeth are supposed to be just that: permanent. If your child loses a permanent tooth, then it is imperative that you visit your dentist immediately. If your child is bleeding, then rinse their mouth with cool clean water, and use a clean gauze to quell the bleeding. 

Store the tooth in a clean container of cool water, milk, or use a tooth preservation system like Save-A-Tooth. If the dislodged tooth is stored properly, then your dentist will be able to reinstall it.  

Parents can Prevent Long Term Tooth Damage

Accidents happen, but being prepared as a parent can help prevent a lot of serious oral damage.  You can’t prevent accidents, but you can prevent most oral issues by helping your child maintain a healthy oral routine.  

Visit our dental office every six months to help prevent common dental issues from occurring. The regularly scheduled check up lets us identify and treat cavities, perform a deep cleaning of plaque and tartar buildup, and provides you with a road map to better oral care for your child.