Active children like to run and play, but that also means they may fall and hurt themselves at times, too. Mouth injuries can be a common result of these mishaps, so having some basic knowledge of emergency dental care for kids can help you prevent tooth loss and other problems.
How to Handle a Dental Emergency
In many ways, a dental emergency is similar to caring for any other injury, you should take the following action in the event of trauma to the mouth or teeth:
- Check for bleeding
- Stop the bleeding by applying pressure
- Clean the wound
- Assess the severity
- Take the injured child to the doctor or dentist as soon as possible
If an adult or permanent tooth has been knocked out, pick it up (if you can find it!), but be careful not to touch the root.
You should gently place the tooth back in your child's mouth in order to maintain moisture and increase the chances that the dentist can successfully put the tooth back in place. To keep it in place, bite down gently on gauze or even a wet teabag. If you can't keep the tooth in the mouth, place it in a cup filled with salt water or milk to keep the root moist. Even if the tooth looks damaged or broken, bring it along and let the dentist decide if it can be repaired.
With baby teeth, the dentist will decide if the tooth should be replanted or not. The decision is based on your child's age, how developed their teeth are overall, and the condition of the tooth itself, as well as how it was transported to the clinic.
