Pediatric Dental Emergencies Parents always have to be ready for the worst. You want to make sure that your child is always safe and out of danger. However, no matter how hard you try and protect them, sometimes accidents happen. Like most accidents, emergencies don't happen when you are prepared for them. Instead, they happen when you are not prepared. What do you do when you are facing a pediatric dental emergency? Jacobsen Pediatric Dentistry has some answers for you about pediatric dental emergencies.A Tooth Gets Knocked OutThis is called a dental avulsion. The American Dental Association states that about 5 million teeth are knocked out each year. Most teeth are knocked out during sports, but they can also be avulsed through accidents as well. If your child loses a baby tooth or a permanent tooth, you will need to give us a call as soon as possible. Time is really important when it comes to teeth that have been knocked out. In general, baby teeth are usually not reimplanted, because that can damage the adult tooth that will emerge underneath. If the tooth that was knocked out is an adult tooth, there are steps you can take to help us. First, give us a call immediately. The sooner we can reimplant the tooth, the better the chances are it will survive. Second, pick up the tooth by the crown and not the roots. You can rinse the tooth off gently with water, but don't scrub it. If you have an older child, put the tooth back in place, or have the child hold it in his or her cheek. Get here as quickly as you can. Tooth Is Crooked After InjurySometimes, your child's tooth is not knocked out, but you notice that it is crooked. It may be sitting at a weird angle, or you notice a bulge underneath the gumline. This is called a tooth displacement. Luckily, in many cases, the teeth can heal themselves. However, we need to have a look at it just to make sure the tooth is intact, and there is not a risk of infection. Give us a call right away. You can also help by putting a cold compress on the area of the mouth that is affected. You can also give your child over the counter medicine such as Tylenol or Motrin. Broken TeethSometimes, the surface or crown of a tooth breaks due to accident or injury. You might notice a crack or a fracture in the surface of the tooth. You might also notice that the tooth has changed color. It might appear pink or yellow. We will need to take dental x-rays to see the extent of the crack. Sometimes, a crack can be fixed with dental sealant. We may also have to heal the tooth pulp. We need to be sure and get a look at the tooth as soon as possible because cracked or fractured teeth can lead to infection. If you have questions about pediatric dental emergencies, Jacobsen Pediatric Dentistry can help. Give us a call at (971) 459-2431 and let us come to the rescue - or at least, answer your dental questions. |
 |
