No parent ever wants their child to experience an emergency of any kind, and dental emergencies can be particularly concerning and confusing. What’s the right thing to do? What shouldn’t you do? Don’t worry, our pediatric dental office in Long Island is here to help.
Not all dental emergencies should be handled the same way, so we’ve outlined some of the most common emergencies and what you can do if they happen to your child.
Chipped or Broken Tooth – First, rinse the mouth and any broken pieces you happen to find with warm water. If your child is bleeding, apply gauze and a bit of pressure to help stop it. Swelling and pain can be reduced with a cold compress.
Knocked Out Tooth – It’s important to realize that baby teeth are important and are placeholders for permanent, adult teeth. If one is lost before it falls out naturally, dental problems down the road can arise so it should be treated quickly. The key to saving a knocked out tooth is to find it as quickly as possible. Once you do, make sure to only touch the tooth crown, not the roots. You can then try to replace the tooth into the socket. If that’s not working, place the tooth in a glass of milk and get to a dentist. Your tooth has the best chance of survival if it’s returned to the socket within an hour.
Toothache – A toothache is typically a sign of a bigger problem and shouldn’t be ignored. Get to your child’s dentist as soon as you can. In the meantime, relieve pain with a cold compress and some medicine. A quick rinse with warm salt water can help too. Whatever you do, do NOT place aspirin directly on the gums as it can cause tissue damage.
Something’s Stuck Between Teeth – When a pesky food particle or something else gets wedged between teeth, there could be pain and it’s best to get it out. Avoid using anything sharp to pick it out. Choose floss instead.
No matter what type of emergency your little one has, a good rule of thumb is to call your Long Island pediatric dentist as soon as you can.
At our Long Island pediatric dental office, we’re in the business of keeping little smiles healthy, and we never want one of our patients to have a dental emergency. But the truth is, emergencies happen. When they do, we welcome you to call our office for help.
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