Pediatric Dental Emergencies
Immediate attention will be given to dental emergencies, and you will be seen as soon as possible during business hours.
After office hours, please call the office and follow the instructions provided. Your call will be returned as soon as possible. If you are experiencing a serious or life-threatening emergency, please call 911 or visit the nearest emergency room.
Below are instructions for handling minor dental emergencies.
Gently clean the area around the tooth by rinsing the mouth with warm salt water and gently flossing to remove any particles that may be lodged in the tissue around the tooth. Over the counter pain medication, such as Acetaminophen/Tylenol and Ibuprofen/Motrin can be administered to help alleviate the pain. Please call our office to schedule an appointment for an evaluation.
Apply pressure with a clean cloth or sterile gauze to stop any bleeding. Apply ice to help reduce swelling. If the bleeding continues, call your physician or visit your local emergency room.
DO NOT REIMPLANT the tooth. Control bleeding with gauze pressure. Assess for any other head or more serious injuries. If any more serious injuries have occurred, or if you are unsure, go to your local emergency room. Please call our office to schedule an appointment.
Call our office right away and use these first aid measures:
- DO NOT TOUCH THE TOOTH ROOT. Hold the tooth by the crown. If the tooth is dirty, rinse it gently in milk, saline, or in the patient’s saliva.
- Place the tooth back into the socket AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE and bite down on clean gauze or napkin to hold it in place.
- If the tooth cannot be placed in the socket, put the tooth in a small container of milk, “Save A Tooth” HBSS (hank’s balanced salt solution) if available, or saliva. Water is not a good medium but is better than leaving the tooth to air-dry. Make sure to bring it with you to your appointment!
Gently rinse the area with lukewarm water and place a cold compress on the face to reduce swelling. If you can locate the piece of the broken tooth, place the piece in milk, and bring it with you to the office. Please call the office so we can assess and treat the injury as soon as possible.