When Kids Need Emergency Dentistry
Sometimes, a child damages a tooth in a sports accident, or from another accident. This could lead to cracks or chips, and could leave smiles vulnerable to issues like tooth decay. In today’s blog, your Dallas, TX, pediatric dentist talks about when kids need emergency care, and how you can respond to ease discomfort.
How an Emergency Situation Happens
How does a child develop a dental emergency? For some, this could be caused by an injury or accident that damages a tooth. Biting down on a hard piece of food, like a popcorn kernel or ice, could injure teeth too. An object could become trapped between the teeth that floss cannot remove, or unexplained discomfort could occur. When you child reports persistent pain in a tooth, or if an injury happens, let us know! Even minor chips and cracks could expose the sensitive inner dentin and leave the tooth vulnerable to tooth decay and infection. If your injury happens outside of normal business hours, then give us a call. We can arrange a time to see your child quickly.
Easing Discomfort
In the meantime, you can take steps to ease discomfort. First, have your child rinse with warm water and then use cloth or gauze to control any bleeding. A cold compress to the side of the face could also help prevent facial swelling. If a tooth is damaged, see if you can recover any pieces to bring with you. If this isn’t possible, don’t worry, we can still repair the tooth. Never use anything offer than floss to try and dislodge a trapped object, as you risk gum or tooth damage. If a tooth is knocked out, then pick it up by the crown, or visible portion. Never touch the root! Try to gently rinse away dirt and debris, but not tissue, and place it in a glass of milk or salt water. The tooth can also be gently inserted into the socket until we can see the child too.
Repair and Prevention
With composite resin and crowns, we can often repair the tooth in as little as one to two visits, bringing relief and preventing further complications. To help protect teeth, consider a mouthguard if your child plays full contact sports or martial arts. If you have any questions about how we offer emergency care to treat little smiles, or if you would like to schedule a checkup and cleaning soon, then give our team a call today.
Your Dallas, TX, Dentist Offers Emergency Dental Care
Our team wants to help kids avoid major complications due to untreated dental damage. If you have any questions about addressing damaged teeth, then contact your Dallas, TX pediatric dentist, Dr. Marr, by calling (214) 321-4880.
filed under: Dental Emergencies