Dental emergencies
Key points below
Tips to help you act quickly and calmly
Toothache
- Rinse the mouth with warm water.
- Use dental floss to remove any food stuck between the teeth.
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Give over-the-counter pain relievers, like Tylenol or ibuprofen. Do not put aspirin directly on the sore tooth or gums.
Take your child to see the dentist as soon as you can.
Knocked-out tooth
(Adult teeth only- baby teeth, injury area will be checked)
- Do not scrub the tooth or take off any attached gum tissue, you may swish gently in milk.
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Gently put the tooth back into the socket and hold it there. If this does not work, or if you think your child might swallow the tooth, put it in a cup of cool milk and take it to the dentist.
Take your child to the dentist within 30 minutes of the accident if possible.
Broken tooth
- Gently clean dirt from the injured area with warm water.
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Put a cool compress on the face in the area of the injured tooth. This will help keep swelling down.
Take your child to the dentist right away. If possible, bring the broken pieces of the tooth with you.
Problems with braces and retainers
- If a wire is causing pain, cover the end of the wire with a small cotton ball, beeswax or a piece of gauze.
- If a wire gets stuck in the cheek, tongue or gum tissue, do not try to remove it.
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If part of the brace or retainer is loose or a piece breaks off, bring the piece with you to the dentist.
Take your child to the dentist right away.
Object stuck between teeth
- Use dental floss to try to remove the object. Do not use anything sharp!
- If flossing does not help, take your child to the dentist right away.
More information:
https://kidshealth.org/ChildrensWI/en/parents/tooth-sheet.html?ref=search