All I Want for Christmas Are My Two Front Teeth!
By Elyse Brumfield, RDH
Supervised and Edited by Dr. Levy Do
The holidays are at hand. That means that the kids are out of school and it’s time for all that comes with the holiday break: presents, sugary treats, family get-togethers, and fun, fun, fun! The last thing on your mind is your child’s teeth, but a dental emergency can ruin those fun plans! What should you do if your child has a dental emergency?
Toothache
Your child is complaining every time they eat or drink something sweet, hot, or cold. There could be several reasons for kids’ tooth pain; they may have something stuck in their gums (did they eat popcorn?), it could be a cavity, or it could be a tooth abscess (infection) on the tooth’s root.
First, examine around the area causing them pain to see if there is anything stuck. If so, gently floss it out with string floss and rinse their mouth for relief. If the pain doesn’t go away after that and you don’t see anything, give them some child-safe pain reliever and schedule an emergency visit to the dentist.
Cut or Bite
It happens when you least expect it - your child is enjoying that piece of ham and then all of a sudden, you hear the loud, high-pitched shriek followed by, “I bit my tongue!” While very painful, an injury caused by a food cut or chew bite is usually a minor injury.
If your child is still crying after a few minutes, or there’s blood, have them rinse their mouth with water to clean out the debris. Then, if it’s bleeding apply clean gauze to the area. Once it’s under control, apply a cold compress to the bite or cut mark to avoid swelling.
Knocked- Out Tooth
This is every parent’s worst nightmare. The kids are rough-housing and then all of a sudden someone’s crying and running to you with a knocked-out tooth. First, try to stay calm and comfort your child. They’re already in pain and probably scared, they don’t want to see you freaking out!
Look for the tooth. If you can’t find it, they may have swallowed the tooth (don’t worry, it’ll make its way out). If you find the tooth and it’s a primary, or baby tooth, keep the tooth and make a dental appointment to make sure there was no trauma to the area where it fell out.
If it was a permanent tooth, hold it by the crown and try not to touch the root or it may get damaged. Try to put the tooth back in the tooth socket that it fell out of and have the child bite down on gauze to push it back in. If the tooth will not go back into the socket, keep it moistened by putting it in a container of milk (not water) and then immediately schedule an emergency dental appointment.
How Do I Book an Emergency Appointment?
Patients at Pine Cove Dental have access to Dr. Levy Do’s emergency lines and are able to contact him any time for an emergency. For patients who do not feel comfortable leaving the house, we provide the option to meet Dr. Do on a virtual consult. Our patients who use our In-House Plans also have VIP access for dental emergencies.
If you or your child has experienced a dental emergency and are looking for an exceptional dental experience, our team is here to help you! At Pine Cove Dental, we are dedicated to putting our patients first. Join our dental family and experience the Pine Cove difference today!