Does Your Child Need Emergency Dental Care?

Posted February 20, 2020

Getting your child accustomed to visiting the dentist regularly was probably quite the challenge. Young children are often nervous or anxious about their visits until they get used to the environment. This is essential in making routine dental care an important part of their dental health. If a dental emergency occurs, that familiarity will also help us address the emergency and restore and preserve your child’s smile faster and more successfully.  Today, we examine a few things to remember if your child needs emergency dental care, including what specific types of situations are most frequently considered emergencies.

Different types of dental emergencies

The urgency of some dental emergencies may not always be obvious. For instance, if your child experiences sudden and severe pain in their tooth or oral tissues, you might immediately assume (correctly) that it’s an emergency situation. However, what if your child’s tooth has a piece chipped off, or a slight crack on its surface? Even minor cases of tooth damage can become emergencies if not addressed promptly, and not all emergencies will cause sudden and severe pain to warn of them. In most cases, it’s safe to consider the situation an emergency, and treat it as such, if your child experiences any discomfort or bleeding in their teeth or oral tissues, or if you notice any damage to their tooth structure.

What you can do in the meantime

If the emergency is a dramatic one, such as one involving traumatic injury to your child’s face and/or oral structures, then schedule a dental appointment immediately. In the meantime, try to mitigate the circumstances and calm your child until the appointment. Rinse your child’s mouth carefully with warm water to rinse away any debris or pieces of broken tooth structure. If bleeding occurs, have your child bite down on clean, moist gauze to staunch it. Also, avoid giving your child anything to eat or drink until after the dentist has assessed the situation.

What to expect at the dentist’s office

During your child’s emergency visit, a comprehensive examination and assessment are essential to providing the right treatment. Given the unique nature of most dental emergencies, this personal assessment will help in determining the exact nature and severity of your child’s emergency, and what treatment or combination of treatments will successfully restore their smile.

Call us to schedule an emergency dental visit

If your child has a dental emergency, it’s important to seek emergency care as soon as possible. Schedule an appointment by calling Pediatric Dental Care at Casa Linda in Dallas, TX today at 214-321-4880. We proudly serve patients who live around Casa Linda and all surrounding Dallas communities.