Emergency Kids’ Dentistry – Towson, MD

Toothache

Is my child’s toothache an emergency? Toothaches are one of the most common dental emergencies out there. They are most frequently caused by cavities, but they can also be the result of a serious oral health issue that needs immediate attention. Your child’s toothache counts as an emergency if:

• There is severe pain
• The pain lasts longer than a day
• There’s a small bump on the gums
• The painful tooth is loose or dark
• There are signs of infection, such as swelling, fever, or fatigue

How you should handle your child’s toothache: Help your child floss their teeth to remove potential food debris from in between their teeth. They should also rinse their mouth out with lukewarm water afterward. If this does not help, you can judiciously administer over-the-counter children’s pain medication such as Motrin or Tylenol. Avoid using Orajel or other numbing medications. Apply an ice pack to their face to reduce swelling and relieve any discomfort for 10-minute intervals.

How we treat toothaches in children: First, we’ll need to determine what’s causing your child’s toothache. Only then will we know how to best treat it! We will likely need to take an X-ray to see what’s going on underneath the surface, and then we’ll recommend which treatments will be best for restoring your child’s oral health.

Cracked Tooth

Is my child’s cracked tooth an emergency? Yes, a cracked tooth should be treated with urgency. Not only are broken teeth often painful and alarming, but they leave the pulp of the tooth vulnerable to damage and infection. We’ll want to see your child right away to provide pain relief and repair their smile.

How you should handle your child’s cracked tooth: Have your child rinse their mouth out with water. If they’re in pain, use children’s over-the-counter pain relievers and/or an ice pack to the outside of the face. If the tooth is sensitive, it can be covered with dental wax or sugarless gum. Your child shouldn’t eat anything hard or crunchy until we’ve seen them.

How we treat children’s cracked teeth: Minor damage to a tooth can often be addressed with a tooth-colored filling. We also offer metal-free and stainless steel dental crowns, which are the most common treatment for broken teeth. If the damage is irreparable, we may recommend a tooth extraction. 

Chipped Tooth

Is my child’s chipped tooth an emergency? A chipped tooth is a non-urgent dental emergency. While it doesn’t require the same kind of immediate attention a cracked tooth needs, it should be treated right away. Enamel can’t repair itself, so leaving a chipped tooth untreated will likely lead to further damage. Give us a call right away so we can schedule your child for the next available appointment.

How you should handle your child’s chipped tooth: Collect as many pieces of the damaged tooth as possible, including any that may be lingering in their mouth, and bring them to the office with you. Have your child rinse out their mouth with water several times. You can cover any sharp edges with a piece of sugarless gum or dental wax. If they’re bleeding, remember to avoid pain medications that contain aspirin. They should refrain from chewing or eating with the chipped tooth until we can see them.

How we treat children’s chipped teeth: In most cases, we’ll be able to fill in the chipped area with the composite resin used for tooth-colored fillings. Once it’s polished and hardened into place, it will look like the tooth was never damaged in the first place! If the injury took place because of an athletic accident, now would be a great time to chat with us about a custom sports mouthguard to keep your little one’s smile safe in the future.

Knocked-Out Permanent Tooth

Is a knocked-out permanent tooth an emergency? Absolutely! The sooner you get to our office, the better chance we have of saving your child’s tooth. Make sure you contact us immediately after your little one has knocked out a permanent tooth.

How you should handle a knocked-out permanent tooth: Find the tooth and carefully rinse it in cool water. Do not scrub it or hold the tooth by its roots! Instead, place the tooth in your child’s socket and hold it with clean gauze or cloth. If that’s not possible, you can store the tooth in a clean container with milk or saline water.

How we treat knocked-out permanent teeth: We might be able to simply reimplant the tooth if your child comes into the office quickly enough. Otherwise, we may need to replace it with a dental bridge. Dental implants are only an option for children whose jaws have stopped growing, which is usually 16 years old for girls and 18 years old for boys.

Knocked-Out Baby Tooth

Is a knocked-out baby tooth an emergency? Since baby teeth come out eventually, you may not think it’s a big deal when they’re knocked out prematurely. However, it’s still incredibly important to schedule an emergency appointment for your child. Our team will check to see if the permanent tooth underneath is injured.

How you should handle a knocked-out baby tooth: Do not place the baby tooth back in the socket because it can damage the permanent tooth underneath. Also, a young child may accidentally swallow or choke on the tooth. Because it doesn’t need to be kept moist, you can simply bring the tooth with you to your child’s appointment.

How we treat knocked-out baby teeth: Usually, there’s nothing that needs to be done in this situation. There are some cases where a space maintainer or saver is needed to prevent the neighboring teeth from tilting into the gap and trapping the permanent tooth underneath.

Bitten Tongue, Lip, or Cheek

Is a bitten tongue, lip, or cheek an emergency? Oral injuries can be alarming, especially if they’re bleeding a lot. If your child has a bitten tongue, lip, or cheek, your pediatric dentist may be able to help out.

How you should handle your child’s soft tissue injury: Carefully clean the wound with water and apply pressure to stop bleeding. In addition, your child can use a cold compress to reduce swelling and inflammation.

How we treat soft tissue injuries in children: When your child comes to our office, we’ll conduct a detailed examination to ensure the soft oral tissues are the only part that was injured. Our team will stitch up the wound if possible. However, you should take your child to the nearest emergency room if they have uncontrollable bleeding or a very large wound.

Dental Concussion

Is my child’s dental concussion an emergency? A dental concussion is when your child’s tooth has been shoved out of place but isn’t quite knocked out yet. It’s a common injury that happens to children who are active in sports. Depending on the severity of the situation, you might need to schedule an appointment with your kid’s emergency dentist in Towson right away. 

How you should handle your child’s dental concussion: Ask your child to carefully rinse their mouth to wash away any lingering bacteria. If needed, they can take over-the-counter pain medication and use a cold compress to ease discomfort. Make sure they avoid messing with their tooth until their appointment.

How we treat dental concussions in children: Our team will need to conduct a detailed oral examination and take X-rays to determine the best course of action to get your child’s smile back on the right track. Sometimes, slightly concussed teeth will straighten themselves out over time. There are some instances where a tooth will need a splint, root canal therapy, orthodontics, or even extraction.

Learn More About Root Canal Therapy

Learn More About Tooth Extractions

Sensitive Teeth

Are my child’s sensitive teeth an emergency? Cavities are the most common cause of sensitive teeth in children. If left untreated, they can lead to painful complications down the line. They often are an indication of damage, worn fillings, bruxism, or an infection. Make sure you schedule an emergency appointment for your little one right away.

How you should handle your child’ sensitive teeth: Give our office a call and explain your child’s symptoms. We’ll provide first-aid instructions to manage the situation in the meantime. Some tips we recommend often include using desensitizing toothpaste, drinking lukewarm water, and avoiding sweet or spicy foods.

How we treat sensitive teeth in children: Our team will need to conduct a detailed examination to determine the best treatment method. Some children may need fluoride treatment or dental sealants depending on the situation.

Learn More About Fluoride Treatments

Learn More About Dental Sealants

Learn More About Fillings

Learn More About Root Canal Therapy

Lost Filling or Crown

Is my child’s lost filling or crown an emergency? While dental restorations are durable, they’re not meant to last forever. If your child’s restoration falls out, they need to visit a kid’s emergency dentist in Towson. It’ll protect the exposed tooth from further infection and damage.

How you should handle your child’s lost filling or crown: Find the restoration and bring it with you to your child’s appointment. Ask them to avoid eating sweet, spicy, or acidic foods in the meantime. If needed, they can take over-the-counter pain medication or use a cold compress to relieve their discomfort.

How we treat lost fillings or crowns in children: If the restoration is still mostly intact, we might be able to recement it into place. Otherwise, the best solution might be to replace it altogether. Visiting us right away will ensure we don’t need to address other issues like an infection.

Learn More About Fillings

Learn More About Crowns

Something Stuck between Teeth

Is having something stuck between my child’s teeth an emergency? Not always, but you should give us a call if you can’t remove the debris on your own. We’ll provide first-aid instructions over the phone or ask you to bring your child to our office.

How you should handle something stuck between your child’s teeth: Try using dental floss to carefully dislodge debris from between the teeth. Ask your child to gently rinse their mouth with warm water. You should avoid using a sharp object as it can cause serious damage to their soft oral tissues. If you’re struggling to remove it yourself, don’t hesitate to give us a call.