Child Dental Emergency Tips

When dental emergency situations arise that involve your child, here's some helpful tips on how to handle them:

Knocked Out Tooth

Hold the tooth by the crown, and rinse the root with water if it is dirty. Do not scrub the tooth or remove any attached tissue fragments. If possible, gently insert and hold the tooth in its socket with a clean wash cloth or gauze and take your child to the dentist as soon as possible. If this is not possible, put the tooth in a container of milk, saliva or water and take your child to the dentist as quickly as you can. Don't forget take the tooth with you!

Broken Tooth

Rinse the mouth with warm water to keep the area clean. Put cold compresses on your child's face to reduce swelling. Go to the dentist immediately. If you can find the broken tooth fragment, bring it with you to the dentist.

Bitten Tooth or Lip

Clean the area gently with a cloth and place cold compresses on the area to keep swelling down. If bleeding is excessive or doesn't stop after a short period of time, take your child to a dentist or physician.

Toothache

Rinse your child's mouth with warm water to clean it out. Use dental floss to remove any food that may be trapped between the teeth. Do not put aspirin on the aching tooth or gum tissue. Take your child to the dentist as soon as possible.

Primary Teeth and Permanent Teeth

If something happens to your child's primary tooth ( "baby-tooth"), you should still take your child to the dentist as soon as possible. Although it is perfectly normal for children to lose their primary teeth, an accident that damages a primary tooth could also harm the permanent tooth underneath.

(Information courtesy of American Dental Association)