If your child has a dental emergency, please call the office immediately. If it’s after hours, please call the emergency number given on the answering message. We are here to help.  

In any dental emergency, follow these general rules:

1. Don’t panic. Remaining calm will lessen your child’s fears or anxieties.
2. Gently assess the injury and/or damage. Always check for broken or missing teeth, once located, attempt to reinsert a permanent tooth that has been knocked out or place in milk. Broken pieces can be put in a plastic baggie.
3. Clean the injured area. If bleeding occurs, apply pressure with a clean cloth or gauze.

Below are specific steps to be taken depending on the emergency.

Bitten Tongue, Cheek, or Lip

If your child has bitten the tongue, cheek, or lip after a dental treatment or in any other situation, swelling may occur. Pressure with a clean cloth followed by a cold compress can help to ease the swelling and discomfort. Children’s over-the-counter pain remedies may also be used. Orabase is another remedy which is clinically proven to ease mouth sores. A soft scab may develop in the following days, which is yellowish or white. This is expected as part of the healing process and is nothing to be concerned about.  

Toothache

It is important to schedule an appointment with Dr. Lewis so he can assess the situation. A toothache may be caused by decay or the eruption of a tooth, food like popcorn kernels can also get lodged between the teeth or under the gums.

Clean the area around the affected tooth by rinsing it with warm salt water.  Use a tooth brush and dental floss to dislodge any food. If swelling occurs, apply a cold compress to the outside of the face. Never apply aspirin directly to the gums or the tooth, this can cause damage to the tooth and gum tissue. Children's over-the-counter pain remedies may be used according to your child's age and weight.

Check the gum tissue above the tooth, if you see a "pimple" or "blister" this may indicate an abscess and requires immediate attention, call the office right away.

Broken Tooth

If your child’s tooth has been broken, chipped, or fractured, rinse out the mouth with warm water. If swelling has occurred, use a cold compress on the face. Look for the broken fragment and place it in a plastic baggie or container to take to the office. Sometimes a fragment can be used to repair the fracture.

Knocked Out Permanent Tooth

If a tooth has been completely knocked out, it is important to find the missing tooth. Handle the tooth by the crown only, not the root. The crown is the part of the tooth visible when in the mouth. Once the tooth has been found, rinse it in water only. If possible, try to reinsert the tooth back into the socket and hold it in place with a clean cloth. If this is not possible, place the tooth in a clean container covered in milk or cool water.  Call our office immediately.  The tooth may be saved with prompt action. Your child’s mouth will also need to be checked for any possible remaining tooth fragments or damage to adjacent teeth. An x-ray may also be taken to detect possible root fractures.

How to Deal with a Knocked-Out Baby Tooth

Knocked Out Baby Tooth

Never try to reinsert a baby tooth that has been knocked out, it may damage underlying permanent teeth. If bleeding occurs, apply pressure with a clean cloth for 15 minutes. Call the office immediately for an appointment.

Cold Sores and Canker Sores

Cold sores which form on or around the lips and canker sores that form inside the mouth can be painful. Over-the-counter remedies from your local pharmacy may help relieve the pain as well as application of Vitamin E oil. These sores may take 7 to 14 days to heal. If the sore seems to be extreme or persistent or if the child has multiple sores, call our office so that your child may be assessed.