When their child injures a body part, parents are quick to take their child to the emergency room. What should a parent do if they injure their teeth? They should visit their child’s pediatric dentist in the event of a dental emergency. Dental emergencies can occur during contact sports such as soccer or football, but accidents can occur anytime.
However, not all dental emergencies will require you to take your child to the dentist, as there are some that parents can handle themselves at home. Here is a list of dental emergencies parents can handle at home:
1. The Dreaded Toothache
When your child has a toothache, it is likely not an emergency. You have to look for the throbbing tooth in their mouth and clean the area, including the gums thoroughly using a towel soaked in cold water.
Next, instruct your child to rinse their mouth with warm water. Once the area is cleaned, inspect your child’s mouth to see if the pain is being caused by lodged food in the gums. If you spot food, use a toothpick to remove it carefully. You can also use a dental floss. If your kid’s face is puffy and swollen, take a cold compress and apply it to their face to reduce swelling.
2. Painful Cut on the Cheek, Tongue, or Lip
If your child’s has accidently cut their cheek, lip, or tongue, use a cloth or gauze to control and stop the bleeding. You can use ice to decrease the swelling. If you unable to stop the wound from bleeding, you should visit your pediatric dentist.
3. Chipped Tooth
If your child has chipped their tooth, you should save the tooth fragments to take the pediatric dentist, if possible.
4. Baby or Permanent Tooth Dislodged from the Area
In both cases, just rinse their move with water and apply a cold compress with one difference. If your child’s permanent tooth has been dislodged from the area, you will need to make an appointment with the dentist.
5. Knocked Out Permanent Tooth
If your child has knocked out their permanent tooth, there is a chance that you can still save it. Find the tooth and pick it up by its crown, which is the top part. Rinse the tooth with water and place it back in the empty socket. Make sure that you have positioned the tooth in correctly. In most cases, doing this may work. If it does not, do not keep on trying to make it work, but take your child to the dentist.
What is the Best Thing a Parent Can Do?
The best thing a parent can do is to keep calm and not panic. If they panic, the child will as well. Calm down yourself first, and then your child. If your child is capable of comprehending what they should do in case of a dental emergency, explain to them the steps they can take to protect their teeth if one does occur.
If you cannot resolve a dental injury at home, bring your child to Brenham Family Dental.