Charleston / Summerville / Goose Creek 843-571-7700

Beaufort / Hilton Head  843-681-4900

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Dental Trauma &

Emergencies

If your child experiences a dental emergency, call us immediately at the office. If you have a true after hours emergency (i.e. knocked out permanent tooth or facial swelling), call the office and the doctor will be available to call you shortly. We are always available for your child's needs.

TOOTHACHE

If your child experiences tooth pain from cavities, clean the tooth with a soft toothbrush and carefully floss out any food debris. Rinse their mouth with warm salt water. Do not place Orajel or Aspirin on the gums because this can cause more pain and damage. If the pain persists, Children's Motrin (ibuprofen) or Tylenol (acetaminophen) is recommended as directed on the bottle. If your child has a toothache, it is best to make an appointmnet to see us as soon as possible to prevent more severe problems.

BROKEN OR CHIPPED TOOTH

Rinse the mouth with warm water, and apply a cold compress if there is any lip injury. Try to find the fragment if possible, and bring it with you to the appointment. Call our office right away and we will fit you in that day.

FACIAL SWELLING

If your child has a facial swelling (one cheek is noticeably bigger than the other), this could be a medical emergency and our office should be notified ASAP. If your child has difficulty breathing or swelling approaching the eye, call 911 or go to the emergency room. Contact our office as soon as possible.

KNOCKED OUT PERMANENT TOOTH

A knocked out permanent tooth is a true dental emergency. By far, the best option is for an adult to replace the tooth before coming to the office. Hold the tooth by the white crown (not the root), rinse it quickly (5 seconds) with water or saline, and replace the tooth in the socket as soon as possible. Have the child bite on a cloth or paper towel to keep the tooth in place. If your child is unable to have the tooth replaced right away, place the tooth in cold milk or SAVE-A-TOOTH if it is available. Avoid storing the tooth dry, in water, or in any other liquids as these can damage the root. Either way, call us right away and come to our office ASAP! Time is of the essence, and the chance of saving the tooth is greater the quicker it is replaced in the socket and proper dental care is received.

KNOCKED OUT BABY TOOTH

Baby teeth that are knocked out should not be replaced to prevent damaging the permanent tooth. Ensure that the child did not swallow or aspirate the tooth, and rinse the mouth with warm water. Have the child bite on a washcloth or paper towel, and call our office. We will schedule an appointment soon to evaluate for proper healing.

CUT OR BITTEN LIP, TONGUE OR CHEEK

If your child has bitten his or her lip, tongue, or cheek enough to cause bleeding, clean the area gently with water and apply a cool compress to the area. Sometimes when children receive numbing medicine during treatment, they bite their lip afterwards. Any time your child has had dental treatment, ensure they are not sucking or biting on their lip, cheek or tongue. If the lip is cut severely from a traumatic injury, it will likely need stitches, and the best place to receive care is urgent care or an emergency room. For smaller cuts to the inside of the mouth, we can manage them in our office. Call us to schedule an appointment that same day.