Your Emergency Dentist in Castle Hills Can Help with Summer Accidents

According to a study completed by the Department of Dental Public Health Sciences in Washington, most children’s dental injuries occur during the summer months. Whether it’s from letting out that pent-up energy or participating in specific summer activities, your child is at a greater risk of a dental injury during the break. While you can’t prevent every accident, you can be prepared to handle those that do happen. In this post, your emergency dentist in Castle Hills explains what to do in the event of common dental emergencies.  

What Should I Do?

Contact your emergency dentist immediately. Follow these steps in the time between the accident and your appointment:

Cracked or Chipped Tooth

Rinse your child’s mouth with warm water and use a cold compress to reduce any facial swelling. If the tooth now has a jagged edge, hold a piece of gauze over its surface to prevent further pain. If possible, locate the missing tooth fragment and bring it to the dentist.

Knocked-Out Tooth

Don’t stress out too much if your child knocks out a baby tooth, because primary teeth do eventually fall out by themselves. Check the surrounding area of their mouth to make sure that nothing else has been damaged. Your dentist will determine if your child needs to use a space maintainer to help the permanent tooth come in smoothly.   

If your child knocks out a permanent tooth, hold it by the crown (not the root) and carefully rinse the surface with nothing but water. Gently place the tooth back in its socket and hold it in place with gauze or a clean washcloth. If returning the tooth to the socket hurts, keep the tooth in a clean container filled with cold milk or your child’s saliva to maintain moisture. Reimplantation is possible if your child is seen immediately, so timing is extremely important.

Toothache

Rinse your child’s mouth with warm water and apply a cold compress. Inspect the aching tooth and gently remove any food with floss. If pain persists, you can use children’s pain relivers, but make sure no medication comes directly in contact with the tooth or gum surfaces. If the pain persists for more than 48 hours, contact your dentist.

How Do I Prevent Injuries?

A dental emergency in Castle Hills can’t be always be prevented, but there are certain steps you can take to reduce your child’s risk. These include:

• Brush and floss their teeth daily
• Make sure they use scissors — never teeth — to open packaging
• Do not let them eat ice, bite their nails or chew on other hard objects
• Give them a mouthguard to wear when they play sports
• Visit their dentist twice a year for checkups and cleanings

 Accidents can be scary experiences for both parent and child. These steps can help you keep a cool head and reduce your child’s discomfort.

About the Author

Dr. Joseph Noble has over 20 years of experience in dentistry. He cares for patients of all ages. If you have further questions about dental preparedness, he can be reached through his website or at 210-342-1001.