Dealing with Dental Emergencies

 

Dental emergencies can happen at any time.  Knowing what to do when they arise can make a big difference in saving a tooth and/or comforting the child.  Here is a quick summary of the most common dental emergencies and the appropriate actions to take.

 

Objects caught between teeth: 

• Try to gently remove the object with dental floss.

• Call your dentist if unable to remove the object.

 

Toothache: 

• An over-the-counter analgesic such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen can be given for pain.

• DO NOT place aspirin on the gum or on the aching tooth. Contact your dentist.

 

Soft-tissue injury:

• Apply direct pressure with a clean cloth or a moist tea bag to the area involved.

• If bleeding does not stop after 15 minutes or it cannot be controlled by simple pressure, take the child to a hospital emergency room or urgent care.

 

Fractured or broken tooth:

• Rinse dirt from injured area with warm water.

• Control any bleeding by applying gauze to the area and contact your dentist immediately.

• Locate and bring all broken tooth fragments to your appointment.

 

Knocked-out baby tooth:

• Do not place the baby tooth back into the socket. It may cause problems with the development of the permanent tooth.

• Call your dentist and apply gauze to the area for about 15 minutes to control bleeding.

 

Knocked-out permanent tooth:

• Find the tooth. Handle the tooth by the top (crown), not the root.

• If the tooth is dirty, gently rinse it under running water. DO NOT scrub or remove any tissue from the tooth. DO NOT handle the tooth unnecessarily.

• Try to reinsert the tooth into its socket.  Have the child hold the tooth in place by biting on clean gauze or cloth.

  • If the tooth cannot be reinserted, transport the tooth in a cup of milk.  If milk is not available, place the tooth in cold Gatorade or cold contact lens solution. Water or saliva can be used as a last resort.

  • See your dentist as quickly as possible.  Knocked out teeth having the greatest chance of being saved are those seen by a dentist and returned to the socket within one hour.

 

Possible broken jaw:

• Go immediately to the emergency room.

• Immobilize the jaw and apply a cold compress to control swelling.

 

Broken braces and wires:

• Loose or broken appliances which do not bother the child don't usually require emergency attention.

• If a broken appliance can be removed easily, take it out. If it cannot, cover the sharp portion with dental wax or a pencil eraser.

 

If a wire is stuck in the gums, cheek or tongue, bring the child to their orthodontist or dentist.