Your Questions

• What is a pediatric dentist?
• When should my child see a dentist for the first time?
• What will happen at my child’s first dental visit?
• Why should decayed baby teeth be fixed?
• Why does my child need X-rays?
• How should I care for my child’s teeth?
• Does my child’s diet affect their teeth?
• What are sealants?
• What is Baby Bottle Decay?
• When will my baby start getting teeth?
• My child has a dental emergency. What should I do?
• How safe is fluoride?

My child has a dental emergency. What should I do?

Toothache: Clean the area of the affected tooth thoroughly. Rinse the mouth vigorously with warm water or use dental floss to dislodge impacted food or debris. DO NOT place aspirin on the gum or on the aching tooth. If the face is swollen, apply cold compresses. Take the child to a dentist.

Cut or Bitten Tongue, Lip or Cheek: Apply ice to bruised areas. If there is bleeding, apply firm but gentle pressure with a gauze sponge or cloth. If bleeding does not stop after fifteen minutes or it cannot be controlled by simple pressure, take the child to the hospital emergency room.

Knocked Out Permanent Tooth: Find the tooth and handle it only by the crown; not the root portion. You may rinse the tooth but DO NOT clean, scrub or handle the tooth unnecessarily. Inspect the tooth for fractures. If the tooth is sound, try to insert it in its socket. Have the patient hold the tooth in place by biting on a gauze sponge or cloth. If you cannot reinsert the tooth, transport the tooth in a cup containing the patient’s saliva or milk. The tooth may also be carried in the patient’s mouth. The patient must see a dentist IMMEDIATELY! Time is a critical factor in saving the tooth.