Pediatric Dental Emergencies in NYC
At Central Park Dentistry, we are always available to help and provide our assistance for any pediatric dental emergencies in NYC. You can call us at [kmw_phone] or contact us. Below are tips on dealing with urgent dental situations for your children. We recommend displaying this list on your refrigerator, or storing it near your emergency phone numbers for easy reference.
Tooth Pain
Tooth pain can be a very irritating experience for your child. It requires a skilled professional to determine the reason for the pain, as well as to treat the discomfort. If your child is experiencing tooth pain, you should contact us. Tooth pain can stem from a number of different causes, and often requires evaluation using a clinical exam and/or x-ray. For temporary relief you may give your child Acetaminophen (Tylenol) or Ibuprofen (Motrin). Additionally, a salt water rinse may also help alleviate the pain. In case of facial swelling, use a cold compress to help reduce inflammation.
Cold Sores/Ulcers
Very often pain from ulcers are mistaken for tooth pain. If your child complains of tooth pain, check their mouth to see if an ulcer/cold sore is present. Ulcers can form due to trauma to the mouth from sharp or hard objects being placed in the mouth, or also from eating spicy or hard foods. In extreme cases, your child may become immunocompromised, or less capable of fighting infections, and may experience ulcerations (open sores) in the mouth.
For relief: Your child should stay away from hard or spicy foods, use over the counter topical anesthetics (such as Orajel), stick with cold or mild temperature foods, and drink plenty of water.
Broken Tooth
First and foremost, you should check to make sure your child has no trauma to his or her head or neck area. If so, immediately take them to the emergency room and/or call 911. Teeth can be broken to different degrees so it is important to keep calm for the sake of your child if his or her tooth does break. You should bring your child in to have an evaluation of the extent of the break. If possible, locate and save any broken tooth fragments and bring them with you to the dentist. Many times the teeth can be saved if you bring your child immediately to see the pediatric dentist. However, there is a possibility, with baby teeth, that it may have to be taken out to prevent damage to the adult tooth.
Knocked out Teeth
When a tooth is knocked out it’s important to keep the tooth moist and immediately get in touch with our office. To keep the tooth moist, we recommend placing the tooth in milk, or reinserting the tooth into the appropriate place. If it is a baby tooth, Do Not put it back in the mouth. Although baby teeth are very important, placing them back in the mouth, if they fall out, can negatively affect the development of the adult tooth. If it is a permanent tooth that fell out, hold it by the crown, rinse it with water, and try to place it back in the socket. If it is not possible, place the tooth in milk and immediately call our office. Time is significant when saving permanent teeth.
Swelling
If your child has swelling in the mouth around a tooth you should bring him or her in as soon as you can, as swelling is an indication of infection. In this case, it can be common to see a small bubble above a tooth or liquid coming from the affected area. Also, if your child has swelling on the outside of his or her face or near the neck, you should call us immediately to have it evaluated.
Bleeding
For the most part, bleeding can be controlled by placing pressure in the affected area. You should have your child bite on a clean piece of gauze with pressure for 10-15 minutes, and do this repeatedly until the bleeding stops. If you are not able to reduce the bleeding you should contact us immediately.
One of our expert dentists is always on call in the event of a dental emergency. If your child experiences a dental emergency, such as a broken tooth, knocked out tooth, toothache, or an orthodontic emergency, please call us immediately at [kmw_phone].