Handling Your Child’s Dental Emergency
When your child chips a tooth playing sports, or fractures one due to an accident, treatment is needed to avoid the now compromised tooth. With the right steps and immediate treatment, your kids can avoid the onset of tooth decay and infection. In today’s blog, your Dallas, TX, pediatric dentist talks about handling your child’s dental emergency.
Common Emergency Situations
What constitutes a dental emergency? Essentially, this is an injury or pain that is severe and requires immediate attention, but is not life threatening and doesn’t require an immediate ER visit. Examples include a chipped or broken tooth, or one that is knocked loose or out completely. A loose or missing filling or crown is an example, as is unexplained pain in a tooth. An object caught between teeth that floss cannot remove needs professional attention too. When these situations occur, give our office a call, even outside of normal business hours, so we can reach out with a time to see your children and provide treatment to keep their smiles healthy and beautiful, and to reduce the risk of cavities or infection, which can follow untreated dental damage or exposed teeth.
Responding to These Situations
In the immediate aftermath of the injury, you can offer help to ease discomfort. For example, have your child rinse with warm water and use cloth or a piece of gauze to stem any bleeding. A cold compress or ice pack to the side of the face can also ease facial swelling. Try to recover any pieces of damaged tooth and bring them with you. If the tooth is knocked out completely, place it in a glass of milk or salt water, and bring it with you. Don’t use anything other than floss to try and dislodge a trapped object, and offer your kids an age-appropriate over-the-counter pain reliever to ease initial discomfort.
The Benefits of a Mouthguard
When your little one arrives, we can use composite resin or a crown to repair damage, and we can replace any missing or compromised restorations as well. Our team can also discuss preventive actions to limit the risk of injury. For example, a custom mouthguard can provide a better level of protection than a standard boil-and-bite mouthguard from a sporting goods store. If you have any questions about how our team will address your child’s dental emergency, then contact our team today to learn more.
Do You Have Questions About Emergency Dentistry?
Addressing a dental emergency is crucial for avoiding major complications, scum as tooth decay or dental infection. To learn more about protecting your children from common injuries, then please contact your Dallas, TX pediatric dentist, Dr. Marr, by calling (214) 321-4880. We want to help your kids enjoy strong and healthy smiles!
filed under: Dental Emergencies