Dental Emergencies

Dental Trauma

No matter how well you and your children care for your teeth, sometimes there’s no avoiding dental trauma. Here at Little Smiles of Delaware, we know that kids will be kids! Even if they practice good oral hygiene, they still roughhouse, jump on trampolines, ride bicycles, and participate in sports, all of which have the potential to cause trauma to the mouth and teeth. If and when dental trauma is encountered, there are things you can do before you make it to our office.

How to Deal with Dental Trauma

Click here to find a few common ways that children encounter dental emergencies. The first thing you should do in the case of a dental emergency is to contact our office through our emergency contact line. We make sure to have appointment times set aside just for emergencies. In the meantime, there are a few ways to improve the outcome of your child’s dental trauma.

Types of Dental Emergencies

A toothache

If your child begins to complain of a toothache, there are a few things you can rule out before making an appointment. For example, the possibility that a piece of lodged food debris is causing the pain. Have your child rinse with warm water and help him or her gently but thoroughly floss the teeth. If the pain continues, apply a cold compress to your child’s area of pain and contact our office.

• Cut or Laceration to the Soft Tissues of the Mouth
  If the tongue, lips, or the insides of the cheeks have been lacerated, cut, or deeply bitten, apply ice to the area. Attempt to control bleeding by applying pressure with a sterile piece of gauze or cloth. If the wound looks to be quite deep or the bleeding cannot be controlled, take him or her to an emergency room or urgent care clinic to receive stitches.

• Knocked-Out Baby Tooth
  A baby tooth that has been knocked out isn’t generally considered to be a dental emergency and usually won’t require any treatment. If you’re concerned about the way your child’s baby tooth has been knocked out, please contact our office and we can let you know if your child needs an emergency appointment based on the circumstances.

• Knocked-Out Adult Tooth
  Unlike a knocked-out baby tooth, a lost adult tooth is considered to be a dental emergency. If possible, locate the lost tooth and pick it up by the crown. Avoid touching the roots of the tooth. Reinsert the tooth into the socket it fell out from and call our office immediately. The quicker the tooth is placed back in the socket, the better the prognosis. If the tooth is dirty rinse the tooth briefly with cool water before reinserting the tooth into the socket it fell from. If you are unable to reinsert the tooth for whatever reason, store the tooth in a cup of cold milk or your child’s saliva, making sure the entire tooth is submerged. Contact our emergency line immediately. The sooner we’re able to see you, the more likely the chances we can save the tooth.

For any additional questions or concerns, or if your child has received any dental trauma, please contact Little Smiles of Delaware as soon as possible. Our children’s dental office is located here in Delaware, Ohio.