Pain Emergencies

Although dental emergencies can be scary for both you and your child, there's no need to panic. When your child starts experiencing pain in his/her mouth, immediately call the dentist's office. Usually there is a dental emergency line where you can reach a dentist on-call, who may be able to prescribe pain medication for your child until a dentist appointment can be scheduled.

 

Meanwhile, apply a warm towel to the side of your child's face where they are experiencing the pain. Do not try to touch, extract, or move the tooth; this may cause permanent, irreversible damage. Give your child the recommended amount of Ibuprofen, as this is an anti-inflammatory and will help reduce swelling around the infected site.

 

If your child does not experience relief, and the pain intensifies, your child may require additional medical attention. Oftentimes, infections in the mouth, whether in lieu with a cavity or gum disease, require antibiotics. If your child is still experiencing uncomfortable pain that is not alleviated by ibuprofen or pain medication, you may need to call your nearest health provider. Sometimes, if a cavity goes unnoticed for a period of time, the decay can become so serious that an infection begins to grow within the cavity. This usually requires a root canal. It is important to treat this as quickly as possible, as infection can spread quickly and put your child at risk.

 

Emergency Tooth Loss

As children grow and engage in more physical activity, it is not uncommon for children to either chip or knock out their teeth completely. Luckily, children are in a stage where they lose their teeth as part of a normal growing process, which means that dental implants are rarely needed. If your child knocks out his/her tooth and the tooth is still salvageable, keep the tooth in a plastic bag and bring it with you to the dentist's office. If your child knocks out or chips a tooth and is experiencing pain/embarrassment, make an emergency trip to the dentist's office to see what can be done.

 

If you child chips/loses a tooth after the dentist office is closed, call the dentist on-call and discuss what can be done to alleviate pain. Apply a warm pack to the area and treat with an anti-inflammatory, such as ibuprofen.