Dental Emergencies
We Are Here For You!
If your child faces a dental emergency, please call us immediately at (805) 421-4469. If you need urgent treatment after hours, you can call our emergency number listed on our answering machine. Below are tips on dealing with urgent dental situations.
Broken, Chipped, or Fractured Tooth
If your child has chipped or broken a piece off of a tooth, particularly in adult teeth, first attempt to locate and save the tooth fragment if possible. Rinse his or her mouth with warm water and use a cold compress to reduce swelling. Call us for further assistance.
Knocked-Out Tooth
If your child knocks out an adult front tooth, immediately find the tooth, GENTLY rinse the tooth with a light stream of water without scrubbing off any dirt or debris that may be present, have your child use his or her own saliva to coat the tooth, and then, ideally, place the tooth back in place.
Next, have your child bite down on a clean cloth. If there is too much trauma in the area or you cannot put the tooth back in place, place the tooth in a cup with child’s own saliva or a clean container with milk (if saliva is not possible). Call us immediately and/or head to the nearest emergency room. If you act quickly, it is possible to save the tooth depending on the severity of the trauma to the tooth and gum tissue.
Toothache
If your child complains of a toothache, inspect the teeth in the area they indicated hurts to be sure there is nothing caught between them. If pain continues, it is best to call us right away so that Dr. Hayley can examine your child’s teeth, especially if swelling or fever is associated with the pain.
Facial swelling associated with a dental lesion can be potentially life-threatening and must be managed immediately. Over-the-counter Tylenol or Motrin may be taken orally at the instructed children’s dose for dental pain alone without associated swelling or fever. Please contact our office for proper pain and treatment management.
Bitten Lip or Tongue
If your child has bitten their lip or tongue severely enough to cause bleeding, clean the bite gently with water and use a cold compress to reduce or avoid swelling. Please feel free to give us a call to help determine further management.
Object Caught In Teeth
If your child has something caught between his or her teeth, use dental floss to gently remove it. Never use a metal, plastic, or sharp tool to remove a stuck object. If you are unable to remove the item with dental floss, please call us.
Broken Jaw
If you know or suspect your child has sustained a broken jaw, call our emergency number and/or head to the hospital immediately. In many cases, trauma to the head and jaw can be dangerous and even life-threatening and must be managed appropriately.
Avoiding Injury
- Don’t let your child chew on ice, popcorn kernels, or other hard foods.
- If your child plays contact sports, have him or her wear a properly-fitting mouthguard. Please contact our office for age-appropriate guidelines on mouthguard use or to inquire about our custom-fit mouthguards.
- Help prevent toothaches with regular brushing, flossing, and visits to our office.
