If you have an emergency, please call our office. We are your best guide to dealing with tooth emergencies. Unfortunately, though, you may be traveling, or we may be unavailable or unable to see you after hours. So, keep the following tips in mind.
2. A Knocked Out Tooth Is Definitely An Emergency.If you have to pick up the tooth, do not touch the root. Be sure to clean the tooth, but do not remove any tissue, and do not remove any part of the tooth. Put the tooth in a small container with milk and call us right away! 3. A Loose Tooth Or Tooth Out Of Alignment Is An Emergency.
If you have a young child who is losing teeth, it may be okay, but if it's from trauma, call us! You can use your finger to try to put the tooth back in place, but don't press down too hard.
4. A Chipped, Cracked, Or Fractured Tooth Is An Emergency.If your child's tooth is chipped and they are not in pain, then it may be able to wait. But if there is cracking or fracturing with pain, call us! When you see a crack or a fracture, it usually means that there is damage on the inside of the tooth, too. You should rinse out your child's mouth with warm water first. Then, if your child's face is swollen, apply a cold compress to the skin. Sometimes, a fractured tooth will cause pain and swelling, and it is important to minimize this. Also, you can give your child some acetaminophen or ibuprofen, but no aspirin. This may also help with the swelling of the tooth area. In general, when you get your child to see us, we'll do an X-ray to see what needs to be done about the tooth. Keep in mind that we will need to see the child as soon as possible! These types of damages are definitely emergencies!
5. Tissue Injury And Facial Pain Are Emergencies.Any kind of puncture wound or laceration inside the mouth is definitely an emergency, and you should call us ASAP! Please clean the area with warm water as soon as you can, and remember to be gentle. If the bleeding is continual and you can't get in touch with us, then make sure you go to the emergency room to have your child seen by a doctor before you wait overnight to come see us. You can also give your child acetaminophen for pain, but be sure that you do not give aspirin as this causes bleeding to worsen.
6. There Are Other Dental Emergencies, Too.If your child has any dental or mouth damage, including infection or laceration, please call us or go to the ER! An abscess can also be damaging and possibly life threatening, so you should get care as soon as you can. Don't wait!
7. There Are Some Questions You Can Ask.If you don't know what to do, ask yourself these questions: 1. Is there blood? 2. Is there pain? 3. Are there loose teeth? 4. Was the mouth or face hit? 5. Is there swelling? 6. Are there bulges or knots in the gums? If you answer yes to any of these questions, call us!
Keep these things on hand:
1. A small container to hold a tooth.
We hope you don't have any emergencies, but if you do, now you know how to prepare and solve these problems.
