Dental Emergencies for Kids Great Falls, MT
From toothaches to sports and playground-related tooth injuries, we do not want your children to be in pain. Dental emergencies, or any emergency, involving children can be distressing and upsetting.
At River's Edge Dental, we want to be contacted for any dental related emergency, and we will do our best to accommodate your child as quickly as possible. We're well versed in dentistry for kids, and we're here to help you through your dental emergency.
Some of the most common dental emergencies in kids include:
Toothaches
A toothache can be due to a wide range of problems. Your child could have a tooth erupting and pushing on the gums. Your child could have food or plaque stuck between teeth or in a crevice. Your child could have developed caries, or a cavity from decay. Your child may have infected pulp. Your child may have cracked or chipped a tooth. Prior to contacting our office, we ask that you examine the area for any visible indications of what the problem may be. Next, possibly with your assistance, have your child brush and floss the area to dislodge any material that may be troubling them. If the pain persists, contact our office. We can answer questions and provide tips or assist you in scheduling an appointment.
Lost Teeth
Lost baby teeth that became wiggly and then fell out on their own is normal and natural. Lost baby teeth due to an impact injury need to be looked at. Parents may not see a baby tooth that is knocked out as being a concern, but we will want to ensure that the jawbone was not injured, and we may want to place a simple little device known as a spacer in the spot to hold the area for the secondary tooth to come in. If neighboring baby teeth or secondary teeth shift into the spot, there may not be room for the secondary tooth to descend or ascend properly.
Trauma to the Mouth
Kids are very active, which is great. Along with activity can come normal bumps, scrapes, and bruises. When trauma occurs to the mouth, from playing outside, playing sports, or even simply falling, there are some steps we would like you to take. First, check for any bleeding. The mouth is not an easy place to put a band-aid, but we still want you to locate the source of the wound and assess the severity. Stop any bleeding by applying pressure. Teeth that feel wiggly due to the injury may be something we want to see. In most cases, a tooth that has been knocked wiggly, but is not ready to come out or supposed to come out, will tighten when the ligaments tighten. In some cases, we may need to apply a tooth splint to hold the tooth while it tightens. Lacerations in the mouth sometimes require stitches. Occasionally, a tooth extraction may be needed. If you are unsure of the level of damage, or if the bleeding seems unusual, contact our office immediately or seek medical assistance.
Knocked out Permanent Teeth
Permanent teeth that have been knocked out do have the potential to be reinserted if dental care is provided quickly. When a child has had a permanent tooth knocked out, first locate the tooth. Do not scrub it, or remove any material from the tooth, this could be important ligaments. If the child is old enough and capable, try to place the tooth right back in its socket, or have the child hold the tooth in their mouth to keep it moist. If the child is not old enough, the first option would be to put the tooth in a cup of milk, the second option would be a cup of water. Most importantly, time is of the essence, get the child to a dentist office, such as River's Edge Dental as quickly as possible. There is a possibility that we can reset the natural tooth right back into place. |