A dental emergency can happen with no warning. If you find your child in need of quick dental help, our team is here for you. Simply call our office and we will fit you into our schedule as soon as possible to get your child the help that they need. Whether your child has a broken tooth, severe toothache, lost tooth, or another dental emergency, we’ll do everything we can to relieve their pain and offer the best solutions for their dental health. The following instructions can help you if your child is facing a dental emergency.
Lost/Knocked Out Permanent Tooth
If your child loses one of their permanent teeth, it’s important to only handle the tooth by the surface of the tooth (not the root). If the tooth is clean and not broken, you can put it back in place and secure the tooth by having your child bite down on a clean cloth or gauze. If the tooth is not clean or you aren’t able to reinsert it, you can preserve the tooth in a glass of milk until your child can be seen at our office. With a lost permanent tooth, it’s recommended to see your dentist as soon as possible in order to have a chance at saving the tooth.
Lost/Knocked Out Primary (Baby) Tooth
For a lost primary tooth, schedule a visit with us as soon as you are able. Do not place the tooth back in its socket. Check for signs of pain and rinse your child’s mouth with water. If the area where the tooth is missing is bleeding, place gauze or a clean cloth over the socket, having your child bite down to stop the bleeding. A cold compress can also be used if there is any swelling. If a baby tooth has fallen out too early, the dentist may recommend a space maintainer to keep other teeth from shifting until the permanent tooth erupts.
Chipped Or Broken Tooth
Whether your child has damaged a primary or permanent tooth, it’s recommended to see our dentist as soon as possible. A chipped or broken tooth can be very painful, as well as become endangered by being exposed to bacteria. Bacteria can enter through the pulp or nerve of the tooth and lead to infection. Your dentist will be able to examine the tooth, seal the enamel and keep the tooth safe from bacteria or infection. If you saved the broken or chipped part of the tooth, place it in a glass of milk or saline solution until your child can be seen at our office.
Cut/Bitten Tongue, Lip, Or Cheek
If your child has damage to their tongue, lip, or cheek, they may experience pain, bleeding, or swelling. Placing pressure on the wound can help stop bleeding. A cold compress can also treat swelling. If their injury is severe or won’t stop bleeding, we advise visiting urgent care or the emergency room.
Toothache/Swollen Face
For a toothache, you can have your child use warm salt water to rinse. A toothache can be a sign of a serious dental problem such as decay or infection. To treat swelling, use a cold compress until you can be seen by our dentist. A swollen face may indicate some type of infection.
In either case, it’s best to get checked by our dentist to keep the pain or swelling from getting worse and treat the root of the problem. Even if your child’s toothache goes away, we recommend being seen to make sure there isn’t a dental problem that needs to be addressed.
Dental Care When You Need It
If your child is facing a dental emergency in the Naples, FL area, our team will do everything we can to help. We’re here for both you and your child when you need us the most. Call our team today if you need help right away!
