If you have a dental emergency, please do not go to your local emergency department. Our communities need those facilities to preserve maximum capacity for COVID-19 and other emergencies. Instead, please make sure to contact Lone Star Pediatric Dental – they are seeing patients in need of emergency services. Appointments are available for patients who have essential or emergency dental needs. Lone Star Pediatric Dental can service you anywhere in Austin and they are here to help!
Here are some things to look for in the event your child is in a dental emergency.
- Is your child in severe pain? Severe pain and bleeding are signs of an emergency.
- Has your child lost a permanent tooth? Fast treatment can potentially save a tooth.
- Does your child have loose permanent teeth? Permanent teeth should never be loose. A loose tooth, even without pain, is a serious problem.
- Does your child have an infection? An abscess or serious infection in your mouth can be potentially life-threatening, and treatment should not wait. You may notice swelling or knots on your gums or swelling around the face.
- Is your child bleeding from the mouth? This is a potential sign of an emergency.
Common Dental Emergencies
If you’re suffering from any of the following common dental emergencies, here’s what you need to know about caring for the problem until you can get to a dentist.
Knocked-Out Tooth
With quick action after a tooth has been knocked out, it’s possible your dentist will be able to reinsert and preserve the tooth.
Carefully pick up the tooth by the crown or the top, taking care not to touch the root, and carefully rinse it without scrubbing. If possible, reinsert the tooth in the socket. If you can’t, place the tooth in a small container of milk and get to the dentist quickly to increase the chances of saving your tooth.
Cracked or Chipped Tooth
If your child has a very painful or serious fracture, clean their mouth with warm water and apply a cold compress to the outside of your face to reduce swelling. Take acetaminophen for the pain but avoid using a painkiller or numbing gel because it can damage the gums.
Abscessed Tooth
A dental abscess is a severe and potentially life-threatening condition in which a pocket of pus in the tooth has led to an infection. A tooth abscess may cause fever, tooth sensitivity to hot and cold, a persistent toothache, tender lymph nodes in the neck, swelling in the face, and a pimple-like bump on your gums near the infected tooth.
This condition is an emergency as the infection can spread into your jaw, surrounding tissue, and to other areas of the body. Before you can see the dentist, rinse your mouth with mild salt water several times to reduce the pain and draw the pus to the surface.
How to Avoid Potential Emergencies
The best way to prevent dental emergencies is to stay proactive in your child’s oral hygiene during this time and have routine check-ups with your dentist when life gets back to normal.
A custom treatment plan can be created to address these problems before they develop into an emergency. You can also pay attention to what your teeth and body tell you to watch for signs that you may be heading toward an emergency.
Although a comprehensive dental hygiene routine can help keep these circumstances at bay, dental emergencies happen. If you’re dealing with a dental emergency, time is of the essence to prevent the situation from getting worse. Lone Star Pediatric Dental can service your child anywhere in and around Austin.
