If your child has a dental emergency that can’t wait, just call us at the office – (972)-429-7070. If the emergency occurs after hours, such as swelling in the face or a tooth that has been knocked out, call our office and the doctor will return your call soon after. Although we keep certain hours, we are always at the ready if your child needs us. We will do our best to get your child into the office the same day!
Facial Swelling
If you notice your child’s face is swollen (usually happening on one side), this could be very serious. Call our office immediately – (972)-429-7070. If the swelling continues to grow such as nearing the eye or has breathing trouble or any other symptoms, take your child to the emergency room immediately or call 911. Call us as soon as you can after that.
Broken or Chipped Tooth
If your child should suffer a broken or chipped tooth, have your child rinse his or her mouth with warm water. Call us right away and if you have the broken piece, bring it with you and we can get you in for an appointment as soon as possible.
Toothache
If your child has a toothache that is causing pain and discomfort from a cavity for instance, here’s what you can do until you can make an appointment. Clean your child’s tooth gently with a toothbrush (soft if you have one) and gentle flossing to remove any other food that may be stuck there and aggravating it. Use a rinse made of salt and warm water, mixed thoroughly. While ointments like Orajel may seem like the thing to use, you should actually avoid this because pain can actually worsen and so can the damage. If the pain doesn’t go away with the brushing and rinsing, use a children’s version of acetaminophen or ibuprofen, like Tylenol or Motrin. Continue this regimen of home care until an appointment can be made for your child to be seen. We will try everything we can to get your child in as quickly as possible as we don’t like it when little ones hurt.
Knocked Out Permanent Tooth
If an adult or permanent tooth is knocked out, act quickly at home and we can be of help here. Get the tooth as quickly as possible, rinse under water, and put the tooth back in the socket as soon as you can. Place something soft in your child’s mouth over the tooth and instruct your child to bite down on it to hold it in socket. If this is not possible, then put the tooth in a Save-A-Tooth or cold milk. Placing the tooth in water or dry can damage the root and replacement may not be possible. Call us – (972)-429-7070 – and get here as quickly as possible. Time is of the essence, and if you act quickly enough, we have a better chance at putting it back in the socket and saving it.
Knocked Out Baby Tooth
The procedure for a baby tooth that has been knocked out is different. DO NOT try to put it back in the socket as this can cause damage to the permanent tooth to come. Make sure that the baby tooth wasn’t swallowed and use warm water to rinse your child’s mouth. Put something soft like a paper towel in your child’s mouth and have him or her bite down on it. Call us and we will get your child in for an appointment asap to have a look and make sure that the mouth is healing correctly – (972)-429-7070.
Cut or Bitten Lip, Tongue or Cheek
If your child happens to bit his or her tongue, lip, or cheek severely enough for bleeding to occur, make sure you clean the bitten area well. Gently clean with water. Some children have a tendency to bite their lips, tongue or cheek, especially if they had their mouth numbed for treatment. Try and make sure that your child doesn’t do this. They could hurt themselves and not know it due to residual numbness. If it is a lip injury that requires stitches, get your child to an emergency room or like facility. For small, intraoral cuts, call us and we will fit you in the same day – (972)-429-7070.