Dental Emergencies

Pediatric Dental Emergencies

If you face a dental emergency, call Broadlands Family Dentistry immediately. If you need urgent treatment after hours, you can call our emergency number.

Tips for Dental Emergencies

Bitten Lip or Tongue

1. Clean the bite gently with water.
2. Use a cold compress (a cold wet towel or washcloth pressed firmly against the area) to reduce or avoid swelling.
3. Give us a call to help determine how serious the bite is.

Object Caught In Teeth

1. Use dental floss to gently remove it.
2. Do not use a metal, plastic, or sharp tool to remove a stuck object.

Broken, Chipped, or Fractured Tooth

1. Rinse your mouth with warm water.
2. Use a cold compress to reduce swelling.
3. Try to locate and save the tooth fragment that broke off.
4. Call us immediately.

Knocked-Out Tooth

1. Find the tooth and rinse it with water (no soap), taking care to only touch the crown of the tooth (the part you can see when it’s in place).
2. If you can, place the tooth back in its socket and hold it in place with a clean towel or cloth.
3. If you can’t return the tooth to its socket, place it in a clean container with milk.
4. In either case, call us immediately and/or head to the hospital.

Loose Tooth

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

Toothache

1. Rinse your mouth with warm water and inspect the teeth to be sure there is nothing caught between them.
2. If pain continues, use a cold compress to ease the pain.
3. Do not apply heat or any kind of aspirin or topical pain reliever directly to the affected area, as this can cause damage to the gums.
4. Pain relievers may be taken orally.
5. Schedule an appointment immediately.

Broken Jaw

1. Use a cold compress to reduce swelling.
2. Call your local emergency number and/or head to the hospital immediately.
3. 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.