We know emergencies happen, and that’s why you can call our office at 678-450-7011, 24 hours a day. We will assess the situation and provide further instructions.
Gently clean around the tooth using a toothbrush and toothpaste. Rinse the mouth with warm salt water and use dental floss to remove any trapped food between the teeth. DO NOT place aspirin on the gums or tooth. This will cause a burn to the gum tissues. If there is swelling, apply cold compress to the outside of the face. Give acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Motrin) for pain and call our office to make arrangements for evaluation.
Rinse the mouth with warm water. Place a cold compress on the face in the area of the broken tooth to reduce swelling of soft tissues. Try to locate any tooth fragments and store them in cold milk. Call our office to make arrangements for evaluation.
Apply an ice compress to the injured area. If there is bleeding apply gentle pressure with a clean cloth or gauze. If bleeding is not controlled with gentle pressure after 15 minutes, go to a hospital emergency room. If your child has bitten their cheek, lip, or tongue after having dental treatment, there will be swelling which may worsen over the next couple of days. A yellowish, white plaque (soft scab) will likely develop. This is part of the healing process. The lesion will heal over the next 10-14 days. If your child complains of pain, you may give children’s Tylenol or Ibuprofen and apply Orabase to the area, which can be purchased at a drug store.
Knocked Out Baby Tooth:
If the tooth is a primary (baby) tooth, no immediate treatment is necessary. Primary teeth are not re-implanted. Call our office to make arrangements for evaluation.
Knocked Out Permanent Tooth:
Try to find the tooth. Only handle the tooth by the crown (the part of the tooth you can see in the mouth). Do not touch the root portion of the tooth. You may gently rinse the tooth with saline but do not scrub or clean the tooth excessively. Attempt to reinsert the tooth in its socket. Ask the child to hold the tooth in place by biting on a clean cloth or gauze. If you are unable to reinsert the tooth, transport it in a cup containing milk. Time is a critical factor in saving the tooth. Contact our office immediately.