Emergency Trauma Care

Stonebrook pediatric dentistry

Emergency Dental Care

At Stonebrook Pediatric Dentistry, we understand how important it is for children to have a place to go for emergency trauma care. Children often experience the need to see a pediatric dental professional right away. Our office is always open for walk-in dental emergencies, and our office number will even connect you to someone on our team after hours. 

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here are some practical suggestions:

What Should I Do If A Tooth Chips Or Breaks?

In case a tooth chips or breaks, try to save the pieces and then rinse your child’s mouth with warm, salt water (if available). Use gauze or a clean wash cloth to apply pressure to the area to stop the bleeding. As soon as the bleeding stops, apply cold compress, call Stonebrook Pediatric Dentistry and bring your child to see us. The pieces of the broken tooth may or may not be reattached by Dr. Bhaumik and Dr. John, but it is good to bring them in any case. Often a chipped tooth can be repaired right away using a filling material. Occasionally, the chip is so severe that a root canal must be performed (FOR ADULT TEETH) before the tooth is restored. This can be determined after the exam and x-ray that is done by our team and Dr. Bhaumik and Dr. John during the emergency visit.

What Happens If A Tooth Gets Dislodged Or Moved Due To Trauma?

If your child’s tooth or teeth get dislodged because of trauma, apply cold compression on the affected area to reduce swelling and bring the child to your dentist immediately. Successful reattachment usually happens within the first hour that the tooth is knocked out. Keep the tooth moist and safe on your way to Stonebrook Pediatric Dentistry by putting it in a cup of milk or water with a pinch of salt.

FOR ADULT TEETH ONLY:

If the entire tooth with the long root end falls out of your child’s mouth, you are 100% confident it is your child’s adult tooth. Follow these steps:

Handle the adult tooth with care. Wash off any debris on the tooth gently and re-implant the adult tooth into your child’s mouth! Be gentle and make sure the adult tooth is oriented the right way. Call our office, and Dr. Bhaumik and Dr. John and SPD Team will guide you through the steps. MINIMIZING TIME OUTSIDE THE MOUTH IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR ADULT TEETH. The prognosis for adult teeth survival greatly improves if an adult present at the scene of the accident can help your child re-implant the adult tooth.

BABY TEETH SHOULD NOT BE RE-IMPLANTED. THERE IS ALWAYS THE RISK OF ACCIDENTALLY DAMAGING THE ADULT TOOTH!

Besides The Teeth, What Should You Do With Trauma To Oral Structure?

Soft oral tissues, like the gums, cheeks, tongue, and lips, can also acquire injury and require emergency trauma care. When this happens, stop the bleeding by applying gentle pressure. Make sure to apply gentle pressure and hold for some time. Removing pressure on and off will prevent the bleeding from stopping. Rinse your child’s mouth with a salt solution to disinfect, and then put ice over the affected area to reduce swelling. If the bleeding does not stop in 15 minutes, head to the emergency room for professional care. Also, call Stonebrook Pediatric Dentistry so Dr. Bhaumik and Dr. John can determine if the emergency can be handled at our office.

What Happens If My Child’s Braces Get Damaged?

If your child’s braces get broken, or the wires get dislodged, you can get the eraser of a pencil and try to push the wires down so that his or her cheeks and tongue will not get hurt until you can get to the Orthodontist’s office and have the wires repaired. Often, dental wax, which comes in most orthodontic kits, can block the wires from cutting the oral tissues. Please call our team at Stonebrook Pediatric Dentistry if you have any braces concerns after a dental trauma, and our team can help.

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