Emergency Dental Care
What to do in an Emergency
Below are some of the most common dental emergencies we see and treat here at our pediatric dental clinic, and what you can do to minimize complications and discomfort before you see us:
Bite or cut on cheek, lip or tongue
If anything is bleeding, apply firm, gentle pressure with a clean cloth or sterile gauze pad. You can apply an ice pack to any bruises. Report to the nearest emergency room if you can’t stop the bleeding in 15 minutes.
Broken jaw
Place a towel on your child’s mouth to keep it closed and go to the nearest emergency room.
Broken Tooth
Collect tooth fragments if possible and go to the ER or contact us for an urgent appointment. Place a cold pack over the injury and have your child rinse the affected area with warm water.
Canker and cold sores
Non-prescription remedies from a drugstore typically work well for these problems.
Excess bleeding after losing a baby tooth
Place a piece of gauze in your child’s mouth and have him or her bite down hard for 15 minutes. Go to the ER if bleeding doesn’t stop in 15 minutes.
Lost permanent tooth
If you can locate the tooth, hold tooth from the top and rinse it. If still intact, place the tooth in the socket and use a piece of clean gauze or a cloth to hold it in place. If this is not possible, place it in a cup of water or milk and transport your child to the ER or contact us immediately.
Toothache
Give your child warm salt water with which to swish and rinse to help loosen stuck food. For younger children, rub the warm salt water on teeth and gums yourself. Do not give your child aspirin. If you notice facial swelling, apply a cold pack. Please schedule a follow-up appointment with us as soon as you can.
Contact Us
An urgent situation should never be ignored. Whether you have questions regarding how to reduce the pain of mouth sores or you aren’t sure what to do with a protruding wire, call us at Upper Eastside Orthodontists. We can be reached at (212) 360-0835 or you can submit an appointment request by clicking here.
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