February is Pediatric Dental Health Month ~ let's face it, life moves fast and hard and accidents and infections happen. But how do you know if it's a "Dental Emergency" and, if it is, what do you do about it?
Here are four common Dental Emergencies and what steps to take:
Knocked out tooth. Call your dentist! Find the missing tooth and hold it by the enamel covered crown, NOT THE ROOT!Rinse the tooth with water, do not scrub it. Attempt to replace it in its original position and hold it there while traveling to the dentist, or store it in a cup or bag of milk and bring it with you to the dentist.
Abcess: This is an infection around the root of your tooth and is a serious dental emergency. If you notice a “pimple” anywhere on the gums above the tooth, that is a good indication that there is an abcess. Call your dentist, and in most cases, an antibiotic will be prescribed. You can rinse with warm salt water to clean your mouth.
Toothache: Rinse with warm salt water and if this is caused by food that is stuck between teeth, try flossing to dislodge what’s there. Take age appropriate, over the counter pain reliever and if needed, apply a cold compress.
Chipped and broken tooth: Rinse mouth with warm water and apply gauze if there is any bleeding. If there is any swelling, apply a cold compress and call your dentist to get an appointment.
Do you have a dental emergency? Emergencies may involve swelling, bleeding and severe pain from a variety of causes. Please remember, Carolina Kids Dentistry is available for emergency appointments by calling 704-883-4231 and speaking to our on-call pediatric dentist.
