Dental Emergencies

Toothache

• Clean the tooth and gums in the sore area and check for food debris or particles.
• Have your child rinse vigorously with warm salt water. Consider applying a cold compress if the face is swollen.
• Give the child Tylenol or Motrin for pain.
• Call your dentist for an appointment. If there is severe pain or swelling, take your child to the Emergency Room at your nearest hospital.

Broken Tooth

• Gently rinse the area with warm water.
• Apply a cold compress to any bruised areas.
• Find and save any broken tooth fragments.
• Call your dentist IMMEDIATELY to make an emergency appointment.

Knocked Out Permanent Tooth

• When you find the tooth, try to only hold it by the crown (top), not the root.
• Rinse the tooth ONLY if you can see dirt on it.
• Attempt to reinsert the tooth back into the socket. Have your child bite on a clean gauze or cloth to keep it in place.
• If you are unable to re-implant the tooth, store it in milk or water.
• Visit your dentist IMMEDIATELY. The quicker the tooth is re-implanted, the better the odds of saving it.

Knocked Out Primary Tooth

• It is not recommended to reinsert a baby tooth that has been knocked out. However, you should take your child to the dentist to verify that the entire tooth came out, and that no other teeth were affected by the injury.

Cut or Bitten Lip, Tongue, or Cheek

• If there is any bleeding in the mouth, apply pressure with a CLEAN gauze or cloth.
• If the bleeding cannot be controlled after 15 minutes, go to the emergency department at your nearest hospital.

Bleeding After a Baby Tooth Falls Out

• Fold a piece of gauze or cloth and place it over the area with firm pressure.
• Have your child bite the gauze for 15 minutes. Repeat if needed.
• If the bleeding continues, see a dentist.