
Emergency Dental Care
Should your child suffer a dental emergency after typical business hours, please immediately contact your nearest children’s hospital, and we will promptly triage the injury. Once an attending pediatric dentist or resident is able to review your child’s emergency, we will either provide over-the-phone recommendations or we will provide you with an appointment depending upon your child’s specific symptoms. We truly appreciate your understanding and flexibility when attempting to schedule your child’s dental emergency.
For permanent teeth – Find the tooth. Handle the tooth by the crown, not root. If the tooth is dirty, gently rinse it in cold water, but DO NOT scrub or handle the root unnecessarily. Try to replace the tooth into the socket. Have the child hold the tooth in place by closing on a gauze pad or washcloth. If it is not possible to replace the tooth, place the tooth in a cup of milk, or the child’s saliva. If neither of these is available, submerge the tooth in cool water. Go to the dentist immediately or the nearest children’s emergency room. Time is important for saving the tooth, rectifying the situation in 30 minutes or less is ideal.
For primary (baby) teeth – Teeth are not re-implanted. The tooth fairy will be at work prematurely.
Fold a gauze pad or clean washcloth over the bleeding area. Keep it in place for 15 minutes, then repeat as necessary.