Dental Emergency

Toothache

Try to determine the cause of the toothache. Use dental floss to remove any food debris that may be lodged in between teeth. If your mouth is swollen, apply a cold compress to your cheek. Never put aspirin or any other painkiller against the gums near the aching tooth because it may burn the gum tissue. Call the office as soon as possible with details about which tooth or area of the mouth is hurting, what causes it to hurt, how long the pain lasts, when the pain started and whether the pain can be alleviated. Our office will arrange an appointment time to address the toothache.

Permanent Tooth Knocked Out

Trauma that results in a knocked out permanent tooth needs to be addressed immediately. Locate the tooth; hold it by the crown (the top part of the tooth). If the root is dirty, rinse it with water. Do not scrub it or remove any attached tissue fragments. If possible, try to put the tooth back in place. Make sure it is facing the right way. If it is not possible to reinsert the tooth in the socket, put the tooth in a small container of milk (or cup of water that contains a pinch of table salt, if milk is not available) or a product containing cell growth medium, such as Save-a-Tooth. In all cases, call the office as quickly as possible so that we can see your child right away and assist you with getting the tooth re-implanted.

Knocked out teeth with the highest chances of being saved are those seen by the dentist and returned to their socket within 1 hour of being knocked out.

Displaced Permanent Tooth (Partially Dislodged)

When a permanent tooth is partially knocked loose and is not in its original position, the tooth needs to be placed back in position and held in its normal position. Call the office right away so that we can see your child as soon as possible and get the tooth repositioned and splinted. To relieve pain, apply a cold compress to the cheek in the affected area and take an over-the-counter pain reliever (such as Tylenol or Advil) if needed.

Chipped or Broken Permanent Tooth

If a permanent tooth has chipped or is broken, it is helpful to locate and save any pieces of the tooth. Rinse the mouth using warm water; rinse any broken pieces. If there is bleeding, apply pressure to the area for about 10 minutes or until the bleeding stops. Apply a cold compress to the cheek, or lip near the broken/chipped tooth to keep any swelling down and relieve pain. Call the office as soon as possible.

Baby Tooth Knocked Out

When a baby tooth has been knocked out, it is usually not considered a dental emergency. Please call the office during business hours so that we can assist you with any questions or concerns. If there is bleeding, apply pressure to the area for about 10 minutes or until the bleeding stops. Apply a cold compress to the cheek or lip near the area of the lost tooth to keep any swelling down and relieve pain.
Usually, no treatment is necessary and it is NOT recommended to re-insert the tooth. Any over-the-counter pain medicine such as Tylenol or Motrin can be taken to relieve any pain.

Learn more about dental trauma treatment guidelines for primary and permanent
teeth: www.dentaltraumaguide.org