Answers to 3 Common Dental Emergency Questions for Your Child

During the COVID-19 crisis, you’ve been doing your part to keep your family safe by staying home. Although this has protected you from infection, it has also given you all cabin fever, and your kids are getting rowdier by the hour. While they wrestle in the other room, you hear one of them shout in pain and come running to you holding a tooth and bleeding. What should you do? Where should you turn? Do you need to take your child to a pediatric dentist right away? Get the answers to these and other important questions here!

What counts as a dental emergency for my child?

Like most children, your little one likely gets lots of bumps and bruises as they grow. That’s part of being a kid! But it can be difficult to know what qualifies as a dental emergency in the moment. Here are some things to watch for:

• Severe toothache.
• Broken or chipped tooth.
• Deeply bitten (or lacerated) tongue, lip, or cheek.
• Lost filling or crown.
• Knocked-out baby tooth.
• Knocked-out permanent tooth.

In some situations, you can handle the treatment yourself, but when it comes to a dental emergency, you really need to seek a professional’s help. Dental problems don’t go away on their own; in fact, they only get worse as time goes by. So if your child experiences any of these conditions, contact your pediatric dentist right away!

Can I take my child to the ER?

Although you’re welcome to bring your child to an emergency room, urgent care clinic, or pediatrician, you likely will not be satisfied with the results. At most, these facilities can provide pain medication and antibiotics, but they simply aren’t equipped or trained to handle dental issues. Your best bet is to take your child to the pediatric dentist for immediate treatment.

What can I do to help my child in a dental emergency?

Your first step in a dental emergency should always be to call your pediatric dentist. They can schedule an urgent appointment for your child, often on the same day. Plus, they can give you advice for handling the situation until you’re able to come in. This advice may include the following:

• Give your child over-the-counter pain medication to manage discomfort.
• Use a cold compress to keep swelling to a minimum.
• Do not touch the root of the tooth and store it in warm water or milk to keep it moist.

Although you can’t plan when or how a child dental emergency will occur, you can have a plan in place for your response. By knowing where you can turn for help in these situations, you can get the care they need while keeping them safe from possible infection.

About the Practice

Chicago Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics is proud to have an experienced pediatric dentist, Dr. Justin. After finishing dental school, he completed a two-year residency at UIC Hospital, where he specialized in  dental care for infants, children, and teenagers. He is always available for patients in need, especially those with dental emergencies. If you would like to schedule an appointment with Dr. Justin, you can contact him by calling 312-766-0995 or clicking here.