It’s no wonder parents get gray hairs. Daily they endure watching their children take their lives into their own hands, whether they’re climbing the closest precipice or just participating in youth sports.
And when their activities lead to a bloodied mouth and teeth dangling by threads, panic will follow.
When your child sustains a blow to the mouth, first and foremost, stay calm. Then look for the nearest emergency pediatric dentist.
Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about when you have a pediatric dental emergency.
What Are Children’s Emergency Dental Services?
Pediatric dental emergency services are designed specifically for children who sustain trauma to their mouth. They’re urgent care for kids’ teeth.
So if your child has a mild toothache, they most likely do not need children’s emergency dental services.
Emergency dental services focus on structural repair to a tooth, along with any other problems that could quickly decline if you do not treat them.
Skilled pediatric dentists understand how to calm down a child so they can restore teeth and alleviate the pain caused by trauma.
What Is a Dental Emergency?
If you take your child to the dentist at least once a year as recommended by experts, then your child will most likely not experience a dental emergency. Regular cleaning and maintenance prevent tooth decay that can lead to uncomfortable emergencies.
But even regular dental visits cannot prevent mouth trauma. A situation qualifies as a dental emergency when a child needs immediate pain relief and tooth repair. Here are a few of the most common dental emergencies that require an emergency pediatric dentist:
Broken Teeth
When your child is rollerblading down the sidewalk and does a header, you may need emergency pediatric dental care. Children commonly suffer from fractured teeth because of their activities.
When your child breaks a tooth, try to collect the tooth fragments. If you can procure some dental wax, use this to cover the broken edges of the tooth. This will prevent injuries to other parts of the mouth.
Knocked-Out Tooth
If your child loses an adult tooth due to trauma, try to find the tooth. Rinse it off with warm water. Then, if you have an older child, put the tooth back in its socket until you can find an emergency pediatric dentist.
If you have a younger child, do not put the tooth back into the socket. Younger children may swallow the tooth, which leads to multiple other problems. Put the tooth in milk to preserve it.
If your child has a baby tooth knocked out, do not attempt to reinsert it. In any case, contact a children’s emergency dentist immediately.
Intense Tooth Pain
If your child wakes up at night because of severe tooth pain, call emergency pediatric dental services. This could indicate an infection, and your child needs to see a medical professional immediately.
Not only is your child in pain, but if your child has a tooth infection, they are at risk for complications that could lead to sepsis and death. Seek emergency medical assistance as soon as possible.
Sensitive Teeth
If you have teeth, you will most likely have a season of sensitive teeth. If your child experiences persistently sensitive teeth, have a dentist evaluate them.
You know you have a dental emergency if children complain of sensitive teeth after mouth trauma. They may have damaged nerves.
Abscessed Teeth
When infection sets into the root of a tooth, you will experience severe pain. The dentist refers to this infection as an abscessed tooth.
You know your child has an abscess if they have pain, a fever, swollen gums, a bad taste in their mouth, or a combination of any of these symptoms.
Left untreated, the tooth infection can spread to other parts of the body. Seek an emergency pediatric dental service.
Missing Fillings
If your child has had work done already, they’re at risk of losing a filling. Children and adults alike can lose fillings for a variety of reasons.
Sometimes the filling just isn’t affixed well, and it falls out with even a small amount of trauma. Sometimes sticky foods can suck a filling out of its place.
Whatever the reason may be, when you notice the hole in your child’s teeth, call the dentist immediately. An exposed area left untreated will ultimately lead to more decay and potentially the loss of a tooth entirely.
Braces Injuries and Pain
Orthodontists will use metal braces affixed to teeth to straighten crooked teeth. But these braces can cause discomfort. Brackets can break and wires can poke gums and cheeks.
If your child experiences extreme discomfort because of the braces, the dentist can stabilize the braces to alleviate pain.
Thin Tooth Enamel
It’s hard to imagine that children can wear down their tooth enamel. After all, it’s not that old. But children who grind their teeth can wear out enamel and suffer from oral sensitivity.
Take your child to the dentist if they have a sensitive mouth. The dentist can strengthen the enamel and alleviate the pain.
Stay Calm and Seek an Emergency Pediatric Dentist
If your child is suffering from extreme mouth pain suddenly or suffers from trauma to the mouth, seek out an emergency pediatric dentist. A swollen mouth or gums, along with extreme pain and pressure, warrant a trip to the dentist.
Are you looking for an excellent pediatric dentist? If so, contact us. We specialize in kids and their oral needs.
Our team leads the region in pediatric dental care. We provide thorough oral health care from birth throughout your child’s teen years.
Our team focuses specifically on creating an environment where children will associate dental care with positive feelings, encouraging kids to establish healthy dental habits as they grow up. We believe we can affect a child’s health for life if we can get them to associate a dental visit with positive feelings.
Give us a call today and let us take care of your child’s dental needs.
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