How to Handle a Dental Emergency

At some time or another, most parents have had to deal with a dental emergency. Whether your child cracks their tooth on a hard candy or their front tooth is knocked out while on the playground, it can be daunting and downright scary to be caught up in a dental emergency. Add to that the sight of your child in pain and you might have no idea what to do in this case.

Let’s talk about some of the most common cases we see here at our OC Pediatric Dentistry clinic and how you should handle them.

Toothache

Common in children of all ages, the toothache can be caused by everything from a fracture to decay to trauma. Before rushing to the dentist, have your child rinse and spit. Then, take a look with a flashlight and see if you notice anything out of the ordinary. If you don’t see anything, chances are the issue is deeper and you need a dentist to take a look.

Missing or Knocked Out Teeth

Accidents happen and if an accident just happens to knock your child’s tooth or teeth out, you need to act quickly. Place the tooth in a glass of milk. It’s important that the tooth is kept wet at all times. Try to avoid touching any roots while handing the tooth. You’ll want to get to the dentist within an hour so they can try to successfully re-implant the tooth.

Broken Tooth

This is one of the most common emergencies we see here at our Orange County office. Sometimes the fracture is minor and can be quickly fixed, whereas more serious fractures could require treatment to the tooth’s pulp (internal). Before heading to OC Kids Dental, have your child rinse their mouth and apply a cold compress to the area. Then give us a call so we can get your child taken care of.

If your child is experiencing a dental emergency, you’ll want to get them to the dentist as soon as possible. The quicker they receive treatment the more likely it is we can save their tooth/teeth and keep them happy and smiling.

Tooth Pushed in Jawbone

As scary as this sounds, dental intrusion happens when some sort of trauma cause the tooth to move into the jawbone, usually fracturing the socket. If you suspect this has happened to your child, it’s absolutely crucial to give Dr. Cima Mazar-Atabaki a call and get in as soon as possible. This allows us to manage your child’s pain and work to save the tooth.

Although these situations can be scary, it’s important to understand that there’s help out there. The most important thing to do is to remain calm and give OC Kids Dental a call. Dr. Cima will treat you and your child with compassion and respect and ensure they’re given the best care possible.

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