Emergency Information

Children’s toothaches are commonly caused by small cavities turning big and irritating the nerve of the tooth. This can lead to swelling and should be addressed as soon as possible. Giving your child a dose of an over the counter pediatric pain medicine will help make him or her more comfortable until you’re able to make an emergency dental visit. We recommend Children’s Tylenol, unless counseled otherwise by your pediatrician.

Time is crucial!

The longer the tooth is out, the less favorable the outcome. Locate the tooth and handle it with care. Do NOT clean it with soap, scrub it, or handle it unnecessarily. Gently rinse it in a cup of water and attempt to reinsert it in the socket with very light pressure. Your child should try to hold the tooth in place with gauze or cloth. If you are unable to reinsert the tooth, place it in water or milk (use Save-A-Tooth solution if you have it). Contact our doctors to bring your child in as soon as possible.

This is typically not a major cause for concern, as baby teeth are not permanent. We do NOT recommend reinserting the baby tooth. Page our doctors to set up a visit so that we can rule out any soft tissue damage or injuries to other teeth.

1. Check to see if your child is experiencing pain or sensitivity in the tooth. If so call your dentist and seek dental treatment immediately.
2. If your child is not experiencing pain or sensitivity, contact your dentist to see whether or not your child should be seen. In most cases, this will not require immediate attention and your dentist will schedule your child for an appointment.

Lip or cheek bites and cuts in the mouth can happen accidentally during normal eating. If there is bleeding, we recommend placing gauze or cloth with mild pressure on the injured area to control bleeding. You may also wish to use a wrapped ice pack on the outside of the face to minimize swelling. If bleeding persists and/or the injury is more serious than an accidental bite, page our doctors and head to the nearest emergency room. We may also recommend a follow-up visit to make sure the healing is progressing favorably.

You should expect some bleeding after a baby tooth naturally falls out. We recommend applying gentle pressure with gauze or a clean cloth for about 15 minutes. In almost all cases, bleeding resolves on its own. If it persists longer than 30 minutes, call our office and have one of the doctors paged.

Take your child to the nearest emergency room immediately. If you suspect a broken jaw, it is recommended that your child minimize the opening and closing of the mouth until being seen by the emergency room doctor.  Our doctors can be paged to provide additional information and are available if requested by the hospital emergency room.

Sores or ulcers in the mouth can be very painful. If this is the first time you have noticed the sore, schedule an emergency visit. Giving your child a dose of an over the counter pediatric pain medicine will help make him or her more comfortable until you’re able to make an emergency dental visit. We recommend Children’s Tylenol, unless counseled otherwise by your pediatrician. We’ll discuss other actions with you during your dental visit.

Wiggly Bands, Poking Wires and Mouth Sores?
Not to worry, we got them all covered!
Once you read below, you will know how to take care of these common orthodontic emergencies.