dental emergency care

Knowing how to handle a dental emergency can mean the difference between saving and losing your child’s tooth. Here are some helpful tips.

Knocked-out tooth Keep tooth moist at all times. Hold the tooth by the crown, and if the tooth is dirty, rinse the root in water. Do not scrub the tooth or remove any attached tissue fragments. The tooth must not be left outside the mouth to dry. If possible, gently insert and hold the tooth in its socket. If it cannot be replaced in the socket, put it in one of the following:

Bring your child (and don’t forget the tooth!) to Dr. Dunne’s office as soon as possible – ideally within 15 minutes. However, it may be possible to save the tooth even if it has been outside the mouth for an hour or more. Baby teeth that have been knocked out typically are not replaced because of the potential damage to developing permanent teeth.

Cracked or broken tooth Rinse the mouth with warm water to clean the area. Put cold compresses on the face to keep any swelling down. Take your child to see a dentist right away. If possible, take the broken tooth fragment with you. The dentist may be able to bond the fragment to the tooth.

Jaw possibly broken Apply cold compresses to control swelling. Take your child to Dr. Dunne, urgent care, or the emergency room immediately.

Objects caught between teeth Gently try to remove the object with dental floss. If you’re not successful, visit Dr. Dunne. Do not try to remove the object with a sharp or pointed instrument.

Toothache Rinse the mouth with warm water to clean it out. Gently use dental floss to remove any food caught between the teeth. Do not put aspirin on the aching tooth or gum tissues. Take your child to visit the dentist as soon as possible.

Bitten tongue or lip Clean the area gently with a cloth, and put cold compresses on the area to keep the swelling down. If bleeding is excessive or does not stop in a short period of time, bring your child in to Dr. Dunne’s office or a hospital emergency room.