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Your child's comfort is our priority!
We invite you to participate in your child's appointments for a reassuring, collaborative dental visit.
If your child is experiencing facial swelling, fever associated with a dental concern, or dental trauma (injury to the teeth, mouth, or jaw), please call our after-hours emergency line. One of our board-certified pediatric dentists will be available to assess the situation, provide guidance, and help determine the appropriate next steps for your child's care.Please note: The after-hours line is reserved for urgent dental concerns that require immediate attention. For routine questions, appointment scheduling, or non-urgent matters, please contact our office during regular business hours.If your child is having difficulty breathing, difficulty swallowing, or is experiencing a life-threatening emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room immediately.
There are many different types of dental emergencies, but a good rule of thumb is that a dental emergency is anything that is causing your child pain, discomfort, or bleeding that you can not treat on your own. Here are a few of the most common emergencies to look out for:
Even though kids lose baby teeth naturally, if one gets knocked out prematurely, it can cause future complications. If a tooth is lost too early, the other surrounding teeth will gradually shift towards the opening to close the gap. However, this means that the adult tooth below the surface that was meant to replace the lost tooth will have trouble erupting properly. For these cases, we usually recommend placing a space maintainer to ensure the adult tooth can grow in without issue.
While it may not seem very important, a toothache that won’t go away after a few days is a serious dental emergency. This sensitivity usually indicates that treatment is necessary because there is decay inside of the tooth causing an infection. In these cases, we will usually need to perform root canal therapy to save the tooth and prevent the infection from spreading. If your child is complaining of a sore tooth, give our team a call as soon as possible!
If your child has received a filling or a dental crown to repair dental damage, it is important that that dental work stays in place. If your child’s filling or dental crown becomes loose or falls out, come see us right away. Dental work can become loose by playing contact sports or even eating extremely chewy or crunchy foods like toffee, caramels, hard nuts, etc. Crowns and fillings are put in place to fill in or cover an area of damage and if it is not there, the treated tooth will be highly susceptible to decay and further damage.
If your child is experiencing a dental emergency, the first thing to do is stay calm. We understand that emergencies can be scary and stressful, but it is important that your child sees that things are under control. If needed, you can address any bleeding with gauze or paper towels. You can help mitigate pain by giving your child over the counter pain medication like ibuprofen or Tylenol.
If you are dealing with a knocked-out tooth, find the tooth. Grab it by the enamel crown, not the delicate roots. If it is dirty, you can rinse it in water, but be careful not to scrub or touch the roots. If there is any tissue attached to the tooth, do not remove it as this is crucial to ensure healing. Next, if you can, gently place it back in its socket. If this is not possible, place the tooth in a container of milk. If you don’t have milk on hand, you can use water.
Next, it is important to come to us as soon as possible. We will be able to take a look at your child’s situation and give them immediate care. No matter the issue, we will provide you with peace of mind and get your child out of pain. If you’re experiencing a dental emergency, call us immediately at (605) 275-5771.
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