Pediatric Dental Emergencies

If your child is facing a dental emergency, give us a call immediately at 919-479-5800. If you need urgent treatment after hours, you can also call our emergency number. We are always here to help when your child’s dental health is at risk. Below are tips on dealing with urgent dental situations. You may want to display this list on your refrigerator or store it near your emergency phone numbers for easy reference.

Bitten Lip or Tongue
If your child has bitten their lip or tongue severely enough to cause bleeding, clean the bite gently with water and use a cold compress (a cold, wet towel or washcloth pressed firmly against the area) to reduce or avoid swelling. Give Willowdaile Cosmetic and Family a call to help determine how serious the bite is.

Object Caught in Teeth
If your child has something caught between their teeth, use dental floss to gently remove it. Never use a metal, plastic or sharp tool to remove a stuck object. If you are unable to remove the item with dental floss, Dr. Simran Kaur or Dr. Matthew Garcia can remove it for you.

Broken, Chipped or Fractured Tooth
If a child has chipped or broken a piece off of their tooth, have them rinse their mouth with warm water, then use a cold compress to reduce swelling. Try to locate and save the tooth fragment that broke off, then contact us immediately.

Knocked Out Tooth
If your child’s tooth has been knocked out of their mouth, find the tooth and rinse it with water. Do not use soap and take care to only touch the crown of the tooth (the part you can see when it is in place). If you can, place the tooth back in its socket and hold it in place with a clean towel or cloth. If you cannot return the tooth to its socket, place it in a clean container with milk. In either case, call us immediately or head to the emergency room. If you act quickly it is possible to save a permanent tooth. Unfortunately, primary teeth are generally not re-implanted. If one of your child’s primary teeth has been knocked out, you will want to schedule an emergency dental appointment in Durham, North Carolina, as soon as possible. This way our dentists can ensure there are no fragments of tooth remaining within the socket.

Loose Tooth
If your child has a very loose tooth, it should be removed to avoid being swallowed or inhaled.

Toothache
If your child complains of a toothache, rinse their mouth with warm water and inspect their teeth to be sure there is nothing caught between them. If pain continues, use a cold compress to ease the pain. Do not apply heat or topical pain reliever directly to the affected area, as this can cause damage to the gums. Children’s pain relievers may be taken orally, but you should avoid aspirin. Schedule an appointment immediately.

Broken Jaw
If you know or suspect your child has a broken jaw, use a cold compress to reduce swelling. Call our emergency number and head to the hospital immediately. In many cases, a broken jaw is the result of a blow to the head. Severe blows to the head can be dangerous and even life-threatening.

Avoiding Injury
You can help your child avoid dental emergencies. Child-proof your house to avoid falls. Do not let your child chew on ice, popcorn kernels or other hard foods. Always use car seats for young children and require seatbelts for older children. If your child plays contact sports, have them wear a mouthguard. Ask us about creating a custom-fitted mouthguard for your child. Finally, prevent toothaches with regular brushing, flossing and visits to our office.