You may know that bringing your child to the dentist twice a year is important, but you may be less sure about when to see an emergency pediatric dentist. Some dental complaints may be able to wait to be treated, but certain symptoms and signs indicate that emergency treatment is necessary.
There are certain instances in which urgent dental care should be sought. If your child is experiencing any of the following symptoms, you should not wait for treatment.
A tooth can break from a variety of activities, especially sports. If this occurs, you should gather the pieces of the tooth to bring along to the emergency pediatric dentist appointment. To protect the rest of the mouth, cover the edges of the remaining tooth with wax.
A tooth may have a crack but not be completely broken. A crack may not seem like a major deal, but it allows sugar and pieces of food to accumulate, which can quickly lead to tooth decay. You should especially seek emergency treatment if the crack is vertical or diagonal, as this can affect the tooth's root, which can be very painful.
A minor toothache that comes and goes can probably wait for a regular appointment. However, if your child complains of severe tooth pain, you should seek emergency dental treatment. This is especially true if the child is complaining of accompanying ear pain or pressure.
If a tooth is completely knocked out, it is important to get to a pediatric dentist as quickly as possible. With an older child, you can clean the tooth with warm water and then place it back inside the socket on the way to the appointment.
A filling may become loose or even come out entirely. If this occurs, you should see an emergency pediatric dentist get it replaced.
If your child wears braces, there is commonly some pain and discomfort, especially after the wires are recently tightened. However, emergency treatment should be sought if the wires break or if there is unusual pain.
A dental abscess is a sign of an infection inside the root of the tooth. Signs include swollen, red, or pussy gums, sharp pain, fever, and bad breath or a bad taste in the mouth. Emergency care is necessary to prevent the infection from spreading.
Numerous dental issues should not be ignored. If your child experiences any of these signs, you should see an emergency pediatric dentist as soon as possible. If your child has uncontrolled bleeding in the mouth; severe swelling and pain of the face; or an abrupt and painful injury to the jaw, teeth, or face, you should visit an emergency room or call 911 right away.
You should have dental issues treated as soon as possible, and some conditions warrant seeing an emergency pediatric dentist. If your child needs to be treated, give our office a call right away.
Check out what others are saying about our services on Yelp: Read our Yelp reviews.
At least once in their toddler years, a child will experience a chipped tooth. Just imagine how rowdy kids can be at four or five years old. They will play, run around, do sports, and chip their tooth in the process. While it is nothing to be worried about, some parents will see this as…
Concerned about your child's pacifier use? Read on to find out why it is important to break that habit sooner rather than later. Breaking an ingrained habit in a child is a difficult task. As a kid grows older and their behavior persists, it becomes important to seek a professional for dental habit counseling. According…
Dental anesthesia and dental sedation are both ways to minimize the pain and anxiety patients experience during a dental procedure, and they may be available for kids' dental procedures. However, it is important for parents to have an understanding of what they both are before deciding on anesthesia or sedation in pediatric dentistry.Your child’s pediatric…
Dental bonding for kids is not something you see every day, but it is sometimes necessary to keep a child from losing their teeth too early due to damage and decay. You may have heard of this procedure before for adults, but it is also very useful for kids and can dramatically improve the look…