Dental Procedure Pain: Get the Facts

How To Act In A Dental Emergency With Your Child

If you have a child, then you want to make sure you are prepared for just about anything that can happen. Kids can be quite active, and with active behavior can come accidents. By learning about dental first aid, you will know you are better prepared to deal with an accident that involve their teeth. This article will provide you with some tips for dealing with tooth emergencies, should you find yourself in the midst of one with your child.

What to do if your child has a loose tooth

A loose tooth may not be a dental emergency, as long as it's your child's baby tooth and not one of their adult ones. However, it can still make you nervous if you are a first time parent. If your child gets a loose baby tooth, wait for it to fall out naturally. If your child is antsy about the tooth coming out, then they can wiggle it with their clean fingers or eat an apple to help it come out faster.

What to do if your child chips one of their teeth

If your child chips one of their teeth, you should try to find the piece that chipped off to show it to the dentist. Make sure your child didn't injure the inside of their mouth and, if they are bleeding, rinse their mouth with water and have them hold a piece of gauze on the cut while applying pressure to it. You can give them over-the-counter pain reliever for pain and place an ice pack on the outside of their mouth to help with both pain and swelling. Get them in to see the dentist as soon as you can.

What to do if your child knocks out one of their teeth

If your child knocks out one of their teeth, you want to act as fast as possible. If you can, find the tooth and rinse it off in some of your child's saliva. Try to put it back in the socket if they are old enough to keep it in place. To keep it in the socket securely, you want to have them firmly bite on some gauze with the tooth and the adjacent tooth.

If your child is too young to do this, or they aren't allowing you to put it in the socket, then you should have them spit in a baggie and put the tooth in the spit. Carry it like this to the dentist. For pain, you can give your child over-the-counter pain reliever and use an ice pack. Get to the dentist as quickly as possible, going to an emergency dentist if necessary. If you act fast, the dentist may be able to save the tooth. Even baby teeth are important because they protect the developing teeth underneath.

By knowing what to do in dental emergencies, you will increase the chances of being able to keep your child's teeth in good condition and/or the likeliness that the dentist can save their teeth. For information, talk with pediatric dentists, like those at Kids Dental Tree.


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