Kids are full of energy and are always on the go, whether they are playing sports or just running around. This active lifestyle can sometimes lead to dental emergencies. The good news is, pediatric dentists can quickly and effectively treat most dental emergencies in children, especially if you as a parent act proactively. You must act quickly and seek prompt medical attention for your child. With the right approach, dental emergencies can be effectively treated, and your child can quickly get back to being active.
Here are the 6 dental emergencies in children and ways to handle them
1. Knocked-out tooth
As a parent, it’s normal to be concerned that your kid may misstep, fall, and knock out a tooth. In such cases, you must be prepared to act appropriately and know how to treat a knocked-out tooth fast.
If your child knocks out a permanent tooth:
- Try to locate the tooth. Keep your hands off of the root part – only handle the crown part , and immediately rinse it with water. Don’t use soap or scrubbers on it.
- After cleaning, try to gently reposition it into the socket it came from and ensure that it faces the right way.
- To hold the tooth in place until you can get to the dentist, let your kid bite down on some gauze or cloth. Visit your pediatric dentist as soon as you can since reimplanting the tooth works best within an hour.
- Keep the permanent tooth wet until you visit the dentist if you are unable to place it back into the socket. The tooth can be kept in a glass of chilled milk or brought to the dentist wrapped in a moist cloth.
- Remember that it’s still important to visit the dentist even if you can’t find the tooth at all.
If it’s a baby tooth:
- Don’t try to reimplant it and you won’t need to keep it wet.
- If you can find the primary tooth, bring it to myPediaclinic, pediatric dentistry in Dubai.
- Since a baby tooth would ultimately fall out, having a baby tooth knocked out in your infant or toddler may not seem like a huge concern. Talk to your pediatric dentist about the situation and take their advice.
2. Broken, cracked, or chipped teeth
You may be unsure of what to do if your child’s tooth is cracked. While practising sports, children may take a hit to the face or fall from their bicycle. Whatever the case may be, a cracked or chipped tooth requires dental work.
Fortunately, a chipped tooth in your child can be fixed. A tooth-coloured filling can perfectly restore a minorly chipped tooth. A dental crown may be required for a tooth that has sustained significant damage. It’s crucial to act and go to the dentist, even if the tooth is a baby tooth.
Before visiting the dentist:
- Control any bleeding, and if necessary, go to the emergency room for pediatric dental emergencies in Dubai.
- If your child’s face or cheek is injured, use a cold compress on the swelling.
- Have your child swish clean warm water around in their mouth. Make sure there are no tooth pieces in their mouth that they might ingest by accident.
- Bring the tooth fragments to your dentist if you can find them.
- Visit the dentist as soon as you can if your child has a major chip or fracture, or if the tooth is loose, has moved, or is hurting.
The best dental procedure will be decided upon by your child’s paediatric dentist, and you will be advised on how to care for your child’s restored tooth once you return home. Contact the best pediatric dentist in Dubai for pediatric dental emergencies in Dubai.
3. Lips, cheek, or tongue injuries
There are a few things you can do right away if your child has hurt their lips, cheek, or tongue.
- Have your child rinse their mouth thoroughly with warm water.
- To stop any bleeding, apply pressure with a clean towel or piece of gauze.
- Before touching the injury, make sure your hands are clean. Once the bleeding has stopped, wash the area with clean water.
- Refrain from touching your child’s wound and be careful to clean the impacted area of any filth. A dirty wound is more prone to scar, so let the cool water run over it to ensure all particles are removed.
- Apply an ice pack or cold compress wrapped in a towel to your child’s face or lip if there is swelling.
Consult with the best pediatric dentist in Dubai for emergency dental treatment for kids or go to the nearest emergency room if the bleeding doesn’t stop or if you believe your child could require stitches.
4. Broken Jaw
You need to get your child emergency dental or medical care right away if you think they may have fractured their jaw. Bruising or swelling on your child’s chin, lips, or gums, as well as what seems to be a misaligned or crooked jaw, are typical signs of a broken jaw.
Additionally, your child may experience tooth loss or loose teeth, experience nausea or vomiting, or complain of pain or a lump on the lower jaw. Your kid may occasionally have tingling or numbness on the chin or lower lip, and in severe cases, they might struggle to breathe, eat, speak, or even open their lips.
They must be examined since a blow severe enough to shatter a child’s jaw could also result in a concussion. As you make your way to the emergency hospital, apply a cold compress to the jaw to reduce swelling.
Depending on your child’s specific situation, several treatments may be given – a prescription pain reliever, antibiotics to prevent infection, jaw wire to keep the jaw secure, and maybe surgery to put the jawbone back in its proper place if the fracture is serious.
If your child has a broken jaw, call the pediatric dentist in Dubai at the best pediatric dentistry in Dubai right away.
5. Toothache
Is your kid whining about a toothache? Even though this ache might go away by itself in a day or two, it might also indicate that something is not right. Toothache can be due to various reasons.
Due to food stuck in between teeth
In the best-case scenario, your child may be in pain due to food that is stuck in the gums or between the teeth.
- Have your child swirl warm water around their lips to remove any debris to see if that’s all it is.
- After that, you can assist them with dental flossing.
- You should make an appointment with a paediatric dentist’s office if the discomfort does not go away after some time.
Due to trauma
Although many different reasons might cause toothaches, trauma can occasionally be the reason.
- You can assist your child in rinsing their mouth with warm salt water if they have blood or other debris in it because of a trauma-related toothache. Additionally, this saltwater solution can help heal damaged gums and make it easier for your child’s paediatric dentist to examine the mouth and determine the best course of action.
- Remember that applying aspirin to a tooth and the gums won’t help and may even make the gum tissue burn.
Due to infection
Also, your child may have an infection if they have facial swelling and excruciating tooth pain, which, if left untreated, could spread.
Apply a cold compress on the swelling and visit your pediatric dentist right away.
6. Bitten tongue or lips
If your child has bitten their lip or tongue hard enough to cause a cut and bleeding, you should visit your dentist immediately.
In the meantime
- If you can, put on some medical gloves.
- To identify the injury’s site, have your child rinse their mouth with water.
- To stop the bleeding, apply pressure with a piece of gauze or cloth.
- Carefully wipe the bite with water and apply pressure with a cold, wet washcloth or towel to reduce swelling.
- To determine how serious the biting situation is, give your dentist a call. There are chances your child might need stitches.
It is important to act quickly and intelligently in dental emergencies in children. By being proactive and taking immediate action, you can help minimise discomfort and pain, reduce the risk of complications, and facilitate faster recovery for your little one. It’s important to remain calm and level-headed, as it can provide a sense of reassurance and comfort to your child. By being aware of knowing what to do in a dental emergency, in case they occur, you can ensure your child’s oral health is well.
About Dr. Yasmin Kottait: Having dedicated 16 years of her career to spreading smiles and imparting knowledge of oral hygiene to children, Dr. Yasmin is a renowned name and face in the field of Pediatric dentistry in Dubai. Her joyful personality and magical kid-whispering powers make dental appointments for kids an easy sail – and lots of fun, that they never miss a single dental appointment with her! Dr. Yasmin is also one of the few Autism friendly dentists in the region, with a diploma in Cognitive Based Hypnotherapy and IBCCES Autism certification.