Pediatric Dental Trauma

Should your child have a dental emergency, please call our office as soon as possible. We are always available to help with any dental situation your child has. If your child’s emergency occurs after-hours, please call our office, and Dr. Wexler will be paged.  If he is not available, we will give you the name and number of the covering dentist.  

Here are a few tips for taking care of dental emergencies before you contact our office. Using these guidelines in the crucial moments following an injury can mean all the difference concerning treatment and positive outcome.  Print this list and keep it within reach. 

If Your Child:

  • Bites Their Lip, Cheek, or Tongue – If the bite is severe and causes significant bleeding, gently wash with cool water and place pressure on the area using a cold, wet facecloth or towel. Call us immediately so we can help determine the severity of the bite.

  • Has Something Caught Between Their Teeth – Try using floss to dislodge the object. NEVER use metal, plastic or other sharp objects in the mouth. If flossing doesn’t work, please call our office. 

  • Breaks, Chips, or Fractures a Tooth- Have your child rinse (but don’t swallow) with warm water and use a compress to keep swelling down.  Call our office immediately, and if you can find the broken piece of tooth, bring it with you. 

  • Knocks a Tooth Out – Touching only the crown of the tooth (the part you can see when it’s in place) and not the root, rinse it with WATER ONLY (no soap) and try to put it back in place in the socket.  Hold it there with a clean cloth. If the tooth won’t go back in place, put it in milk in a clean, sealable container, call us immediately and head to the hospital if advised. If quick action is taken, a permanent tooth can be saved. If the knocked-out tooth is a primary (baby) tooth, it is not usually reinserted. Please call our office to make an appointment so Dr. Wexler can make sure no fragments remain in the gum. 

  • Has a Loose Tooth – If your child has a very loose tooth, check it regularly and try to remove it. This will prevent it from being swallowed or inhaled. 

  • Develops a Toothache – Check your child’s mouth and look to make sure nothing is broken and there is nothing stuck in their gum. If pain persists, use a cold compress and call our office. Do not use heat, aspirin or a topical pain relief gel. If you wish, give your child an over-the-counter children’s pain reliever, following the dosing instructions and call our office to schedule an appointment immediately. 

  • Breaks or Suffers a Severe Blow to the Face or Head – Use a cold compress gently held to the are to reduce swelling. Immediately call our office and go to the closest hospital as quickly as possible.  A blow to the head that is hard enough to fracture a bone can also cause a concussion or other severe brain trauma.