Kids have boundless energy, and sometimes that means unexpected accidents. At Kids Dental Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, our team, led by board-certified pediatric dentist Dr. Bosede Adeniji, is ready for those dental emergencies, and we're here to help parents prepare, too.
After earning her dental degree, Dr. Adeniji completed a two-year postdoctoral program specializing in pediatric dentistry, where she gained advanced expertise in treating dental emergencies for children of all ages.
Here’s what parents should know about the five common dental emergencies in children and how to handle them.
If your child knocks out a permanent tooth, the number one rule is to stay calm, and your child will react the same way. Hold the tooth by the crown (the white part) only. Never touch the roots.
Lightly rinse the tooth in cool or lukewarm water. If your child is calm enough, replace the tooth in the socket. If they're very young or too distressed to safely place the tooth in the socket, drop it in a glass of milk.
It has preservatives that can help keep the tooth alive until you reach our office. Ideally, you should get help within half an hour for the best chance of saving the tooth.
A chipped tooth may not always be painful, and it might seem like a minor issue. However, any chip or crack can potentially expose the nerves inside the tooth and could lead to infection later.
When faced with a chip or broken tooth, rinse your child’s mouth with warm water and apply a cold compress to reduce swelling. Save any loose pieces of the tooth, using the trick above to preserve them in milk if possible. Then, reach out to our office immediately.
Tooth pain can signal decay, infection, or a dental injury. Have your child rinse with warm salt water if they experience a sudden toothache.
Gently floss around the tooth to remove any trapped food. Avoid applying aspirin or heat directly to the gums. If pain persists, call our office to request an emergency dental visit.
Children often go through a stage where they try to put everything in their mouth. Even as they age, many kids tend to chew on nonfood objects, like pencils and straws.
Sometimes, when dental floss isn't handy, children may use a pen cap, safety pin, or other object to try and pry food out from between their teeth. Unfortunately, these bad habits might lead to nonfood objects being stuck.
If you can access the area with dental floss safely, try to carefully remove the object. If you can’t dislodge it easily, don't push it. Call our office to schedule a visit with Dr. Adeniji, who can safely remove it without causing further damage.
If your child bites their tongue or lip hard enough to cause bleeding, gently clean the area with a saltwater solution and apply a cold compress. If bleeding doesn’t stop after about 10 minutes, or if the wound appears deep, reach out to us immediately.
Any dental injury involving a permanent tooth, uncontrolled bleeding, or visible swelling of the face or jaw requires prompt attention. Quick action can prevent infection and preserve your child’s dental health.
At Kids Dental Center, we're here to guide you through these frightening (and often chaotic) moments with calm expertise and gentle care. If you have a dental emergency, call us at 301-345-2881 today to get emergency dentistry care.
