Common Emergencies
Swelling – If the face is swollen because of a tooth infection, it could be a life-threatening situation and your child needs to go to a hospital emergency room immediately. Place a cold compress on the face until you can see a doctor. Call our office for an emergency appointment to evaluate where the infection is and how to treat it.
Cut or Bitten Tongue, Lip or Cheek – If there is bleeding, apply firm yet gentle pressure to the area with a clean cloth or gauze. If you cannot get the bleeding to stop after fifteen minutes, go to the hospital emergency room. Apply a cold compress to swollen or bruised areas. Make sure your child is comfortable and calm. Call our office for an appointment to assess any injury to the teeth, jawbone or tissues around the mouth.
Bleeding After Baby Tooth Falls Out – Have your child bite on a clean folded cloth or gauze for fifteen minutes and make sure he/she is resting. Repeat this if necessary.
Knocked Out Baby Tooth – Baby teeth should NOT be put back into the mouth because it may damage the growing permanent tooth. Your child still needs to be seen at the office to find out if any other teeth, the jawbone or tissues around the mouth are injured.
Knocked Out Permanent Tooth – Contact a dentist immediately. Time is a critical factor in saving a permanent tooth. Find the tooth and gently rinse off any dirt with room temperature water. Hold the tooth by the crown, not the root, and do not scrub it. Place the tooth into its socket and have your child hold the tooth in place. If you are not able to reinsert the tooth, put it in a cup with milk and bring it to the dentist.
Broken Tooth – Rinse dirt from the injured area with warm water. Place a cold compress over the face in the area of the injury to reduce swelling. Call our office immediately to assess further injuries, prevent infection and repair the tooth.
Cold / Canker Sores – Many children occasionally suffer from cold sores around the lips and canker sores inside the mouth. These sores usually take seven to fourteen days to heal. There are products at your local pharmacy that will help relieve the pain. Please let us know if these sores occur often or last longer than usual. Some serious diseases may begin as sores and need prescription medications.
Most Common Causes of Injury to Teeth – These are bathtubs, tile floors, coffee tables, stairs, swimming pools, play structures, bicycle riding, trampoline, basketball, baseball, playing in construction zones and scooters. Professionally fitted mouth guards can prevent injuries to the teeth and are offered by our office.
