{"id":68,"date":"2020-04-14T19:33:42","date_gmt":"2020-04-14T19:33:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kids-dentistry.com\/blog\/?p=68"},"modified":"2020-05-13T21:54:23","modified_gmt":"2020-05-13T21:54:23","slug":"pediatric-dental-emergencies-3-common-situations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kids-dentistry.com\/blog\/2020\/04\/14\/pediatric-dental-emergencies-3-common-situations\/","title":{"rendered":"Learn How To Handle 3 Common Pediatric Dental Emergencies"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kids-dentistry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Little-Boy-Getting-Exam.jpg\" alt=\"Little boy seeing a dentist after a pediatric dental emergency \" class=\"wp-image-69\" width=\"357\" height=\"237\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kids-dentistry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Little-Boy-Getting-Exam.jpg 346w, https:\/\/www.kids-dentistry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Little-Boy-Getting-Exam-300x199.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 357px) 100vw, 357px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Dental emergencies are stressful and scary, particularly when kids are involved. And whether it\u2019s a sports injury, an orthodontic emergency like a broken bracket, or a toothache, children can experience sudden dental pain at any time. In these situations, the first thing you should do is call a children\u2019s dentist to advise you over the phone and schedule the first available appointment. In the meantime, use the tips below for handling 3 common pediatric dental emergencies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Orthodontic Emergencies<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>Poking wire<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 If a wire is poking your child\u2019s lips, cheeks or gums, use a small piece of orthodontic wax or dental cement from the drugstore (or even sugar-free gum in a pinch) to cover the end of it. Then make an appointment to have it adjusted.\u00a0<\/li><li><strong>Generalized soreness<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 Temporary soreness or sensitivity to biting pressure is common in the days after an adjustment (or when orthodontic treatment first begins). To relieve discomfort, give your child over-the-counter pain reliever as directed.\u00a0<\/li><li><strong>Loose or broken bracket<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 You can use orthodontic wax or dental cement from the store to stabilize the bracket, but\u00a0<strong>don\u2019t use<\/strong>\u00a0any other type of glue or adhesive, because it can do more harm than good. The goal is to prevent the bracket from moving freely around on the wire, causing irritation, or becoming a choking hazard until an orthodontist can fix it.\u00a0<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Knocked-Out Teeth<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>With a knocked-out tooth (particularly a permanent tooth), time is of the essence. Preferably you should see a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.kids-dentistry.com\/our-services.html\">children\u2019s dentist<\/a>\u00a0within one hour, so be sure to call right away. From there, use the following tips to manage the injury:\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Handle the tooth by the crown, not the root, and gently rinse it off with water.<\/li><li>It\u2019s critical to keep the tooth moist to keep it \u201calive.\u201d Ideally, you can put it in a glass of milk. If not, kids over 12 can hold it in their cheek pouch (children younger than that are at greater risk of swallowing it). Only store it in tap water as a last resort.<\/li><li>Have your child gently but firmly hold a clean, damp cloth on the area to reduce bleeding until you can be seen.\u00a0<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Toothaches<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Toothaches range from mild to severe and can be caused by cavities, fractures, or food wedged between the teeth. First, look in your child\u2019s mouth (using a flashlight if necessary). If you see anything stuck, gently floss the area.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you don\u2019t see anything and the pain persists, have them swish with lukewarm saltwater, apply a cold compress to their lip or cheek, and give them over-the-counter pain medication as directed.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But keep in mind that, even if their pain goes away, you still need to schedule an appointment. They might have a dental infection that can become very dangerous if left untreated.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As a parent, there\u2019s nothing worse than seeing your child in pain. But by calling a children\u2019s dentist right away and using these tips to handle the situation, you\u2019ll help them feel better fast!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">About the Author<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>As a children\u2019s dentist,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.kids-dentistry.com\/meet-dr-hyun-jeong-lee.html\">Dr. Hyun Jeong Lee<\/a>&nbsp;is a graduate of New York University and also a mother of one. She and her team have the training, technology and experience to treat a wide variety of pediatric dental emergencies and put kids at ease in any situation. If your child is having a dental emergency or you have any questions, she can be reached via her&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.kids-dentistry.com\/contact.html\">website.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Dental emergencies are stressful and scary, particularly when kids are involved. And whether it\u2019s a sports injury, an orthodontic emergency like a broken bracket, or a toothache, children can experience sudden dental pain at any time. In these situations, the first thing you should do is call a children\u2019s dentist to advise you over the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kids-dentistry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/68"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kids-dentistry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kids-dentistry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kids-dentistry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kids-dentistry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=68"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.kids-dentistry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/68\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":73,"href":"https:\/\/www.kids-dentistry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/68\/revisions\/73"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kids-dentistry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=68"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kids-dentistry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=68"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kids-dentistry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=68"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}