Common Dental Emergencies Faced by Kids and Families

There are a variety of common disasters and small emergencies that pediatric dentists face on a daily basis and obviously parents worry each time a dental emergency strikes. It’s understandable, because if left untreated any of these common occurrences could become serious. At the same time, though, it’s worthwhile to remember that most kids’ dental offices have seen it before, so as long as you seek medical attention promptly, it should not be difficult to get all the help you need.

Toothaches

This one is the most common for both kids and adults. Toothaches tend to have a variety of causes, but the first aid is simple:

1. Clean the area with warm water
2. Inspect for impacted food and other debris and clear it
3. Compress the aching tooth with cold and call the dentist

Your dentist will be able to tell you whether the symptoms are serious enough to need attention, and if they do, the dentist will want to schedule an appointment to address the challenge ASAP.

Dental Avulsion

This is just a fancy term for knocking a tooth out, and pediatric dentists see plenty of it. If it’s possible to grab the tooth on your way in, do so. Pack it in ice, and follow first aid procedures to stop the flow of blood. Then, you will want to consult with your dentist. If the injury is small and the tooth is a baby tooth, an effort to replace the tooth may not be necessar. If it is an adult tooth, you might need a couple of appointments to discuss implants.

Displacement

Tooth displacement happens when new adult teeth growing in begin to push baby teeth or more established teeth out of place, causing alignment issues. It can happen slowly, from growth, or it can happen quickly due to truama.

A Broken Tooth

A crown fracture happens when your child is grinding his or her teeth or an impact createsa crack in the visible part of the tooth. That crack can eventually lead to tooth decay or even the need for a root canal if it is left untreated.

What to do About Dental Emergencies in Kids

A pediatric dentist in Newtown-Langhorne recommends that you call your local dentist for advice whenever you are worried about a dental emergency in kids. That way, you can get timely and relevant advice, including advice about emergency procedures that you might need to apply immediately to help start the healing process in the event of dental trauma. That’s why you need to keep the phone number for your kids dental offices on hand in case of an emergency. Kids have been having accidents that cause dental trauma since the dawn of time and most pediatric dental offices in lower Bucks County have seen it all.