Fullerton Emergency Dentistry for Kids

Recognizing Dental Emergencies

What Is a Dental Emergency?

Some dental emergencies are obvious, such as a knocked-out tooth or oral trauma as the result of an injury. Common injuries include lacerations to the gums, tongue and teeth, as well as teeth that have been cracked or chipped. These issues all require immediate attention from a dentist.

However, some dental emergencies are less obvious. For example, if your child has a serious, prolonged toothache, this counts as an emergency and you should see a dentist right away. Pulled-out or damaged dental work is also considered an emergency that warrants a same-day appointment. We define a dental emergency as any oral issue that is causing your child serious pain and discomfort that you do not know how to treat on your own. If this is the case, call or visit us immediately!

What To Do

If Your Child Has a Knocked-Out Tooth

• First, recover the tooth by grabbing it by the crown (top), not the root (bottom).
• Replace the tooth in your child’s socket, if possible. If this is not possible, keep the tooth moist in a small baggie of your child's saliva or cold milk. This ensures that the tooth material does not die before you come in for your emergency appointment.
• Call Butler Pediatric Dentistry to let us know you’re coming in. Your child needs to have their tooth replaced within an hour in order to splint and save it.
• If you have time before you come in, you can treat bleeding with gauze or clean cotton balls, and apply ice to the outside of the mouth to help relieve pain. However, do not prioritize this over coming into our office. You must see us as soon as possible if you want to save your child’s tooth.