More than 5 million are knocked out every year in both children and adults.
It’s easy to panic and feel anxious when your child injures their mouth. But try your best to stay calm and collected. Panicking will only stress your child, so keep a clear head, assess the severity of the situation, and get things under control.
If your child’s mouth is bleeding, use clean gauze, cotton balls, or paper towels to absorb the blood, and apply gentle but firm pressure to control the bleeding. Be aware that oral injuries can bleed quite heavily, but if you apply pressure to the area, or your child gently bites down on some gauze, the bleeding should slow within a few minutes.
You can have your child take over-the-counter medication like Tylenol or Motrin to help with pain and inflammation. Applying an ice pack externally to the cheek near the affected area can also help numb the site and reduce swelling.
Make sure you call us right away to schedule an emergency appointment with your child’s pediatric dentist. We can help you determine the severity of the situation and whether or not your child needs to be seen immediately.
We know that dental emergencies rarely happen on your terms, or on a set schedule. That’s why we offer same-day care to help your child get the care they need right away. Immediate dental care from a qualified dentist will ensure that your child can get relief from their pain and discomfort, and also prevents further complications related to their oral health condition or dental injury. Call us now for a same-day appointment.
Has your child had a tooth knocked out at a sports game? Do they have a severe toothache that just can’t wait until Monday? Did horsing around lead to a chipped or broken tooth? We offer weekend appointments with limited hours for emergency pediatric patients. Call us right away if your child is suffering from an oral injury. Our team is always here for you and your little ones.
Depending on the type of emergency your child is experiencing, there are a few different emergency procedures that may be required. Fillings or crowns may be needed for decayed teeth, and crowns are usually required to treat damaged or broken teeth. A pulpotomy (baby root canal) may also be needed for a damaged or decayed tooth that has become infected. Other common emergency procedures include replacing lost dental work, such as a crown or filling, and treatment for oral lacerations to the tongue, cheeks, lips, and gums.
Putting a knocked out tooth in milk, not water, can preserve the root while you head to your emergency appointment.
Knocked-out baby teeth are not usually replaced, even if they’re lost prematurely. If it’s a baby tooth, your child will need to come into our office to have their mouth examined and cleaned to prevent infection, and to get a “space maintainer.” This prosthetic will maintain the proper gap between their teeth, preventing the adjacent teeth from shifting toward the now-empty socket.
For an adult tooth, though, you need to get help immediately. Recover the tooth, rinse it, and if possible, stick the tooth back in and bite on gauze and visit the dentist immediately. If you can not replace it in its socket, put it in a container of cold milk to keep it moist. Then, come to our office immediately. Don't spend too much time treating pain or bleeding. Your child’s tooth must be re-attached within 1-2 hours for it to be saved, so time is of the essence. We can treat your child’s pain when they get to our office. if possible, stick the tooth back in and bite on gauze and visit the dentist immediately.
Collect the filling, crown, or other piece of dental work and place it in a plastic baggie. Then, call us for a same-day appointment, and make sure to bring your child’s dental work in with you. It may be possible to reattach a crown instead of completely replacing it.
A severe toothache could indicate that your child has a deep cavity or an infected tooth. You should schedule a consultation at our office right away, as these are both serious dental emergencies that will only get worse without proper treatment.
First, treat their discomfort and bleeding. Then, contact us for a same-day appointment. Even minor tooth damage can cause hairline fractures and these fractures could lead to infections and other complications. After consulting with your child’s dentist, they can determine the best treatment for restoring the damaged tooth, and ensure your child’s smile remains healthy and strong.
If a baby tooth has come loose and it’s not due to an oral injury, you don’t have to do anything. Baby teeth are meant to fall out eventually, so this is natural.
However, if one of their teeth becomes loose and is bleeding after an oral injury, it may not be ready to fall out yet. The best thing to do is to get a consultation with your child’s dentist to have their mouth examined, and determine whether the tooth can be saved or if it should be replaced with a space maintainer.
Losing a baby tooth too early can be a dental emergency.