Taking Action During A Dental Emergency
When a little one chips or cracks a tooth, or should one become knocked-out, this is a dental emergency. Since kids are going to be playing full contact sports in the spring and summer, this can increase the risk of injuries. In today’s blog, your Dallas, TX, pediatric dentist talks about how to take action when your kids suffer from a dental emergency.
When Kids Sustain Dental Injuries
When your little one injures a tooth, don’t panic! You can have them rinse with warm water and use a bit of cloth or a piece of gauze to stem the bleeding. An ice pack or cold compress to the side of the face where the injury occurred can prevent swelling. See if you can recover any pieces of the tooth and bring them with you. If an entire tooth is knocked out, then pick it up by the crown, never touch the root, and place it in a sealed container of salt water or milk, and again, bring it to the office with you. If your little one is in pain, an over-the-counter pain reliever can help too.
Repairing Little Smiles
Give our team a call right away so our team a call, even outside of normal business hours. We will contact you back with a time to see us for treatment. We can often return a knock-out tooth to the socket and save it. If a tooth suffers minor chips, we could use the same composite resin employed in our fillings to repair it. If the damage is more severe, we have stainless steel and NuSmile zirconia crowns to treat it and prevent complications like decay or infection down the road. With local anesthesia and sedation, we can ensure the repair process is a comfortable and relaxing one too.
Taking a Preventive Approach
You can also take a preventive approach to limit the risk of injuries. When your kids take time to brush and floss and enjoy good oral hygiene, this prevents decay that could weaken a tooth and leave it more prone to injury. We can also help create an athletic mouthguard that can be worn during games to limit the risk of cracked, chipped, or knocked-out teeth. If you have any questions about our approach to dental emergencies, or about how we repair little smiles, then contact our team today to learn more. We want to help your child enjoy strong and beautiful smiles for years to come!
Do You Have Questions About Emergency Dental Care?
We want to help kids enjoy their best smiles and avoid unnecessary injuries when they play sports. To learn more about our approach to emergency dentistry, then please contact your Dallas, TX pediatric dentist, Dr. Marr, by calling (214) 321-4880.
filed under: Dental Emergencies