Emergencies

Have your child rinse their mouth with warm water, then floss gently down to the gum line around the affected tooth to see if you’re able to dislodge any bits of food. If this doesn’t help or you notice that the area surrounding the tooth is warm, call our office to schedule an appointment.

Use a piece of sterile gauze or clean washcloth to apply pressure to the wound in order to stop the bleeding, then use an ice pack to bring down any swelling. If you cannot get the bleeding to stop, call your child’s pediatrician or go to the emergency room for treatment.

Call our office to schedule an appointment for your child. Baby teeth cannot be put back in, but we will assess the surrounding area for damage and decide if a space maintainer is needed.

Call our office immediately so we can prepare for your child’s visit. Do not touch the root of your child’s tooth; instead, only touch the crown. Rinse the tooth gently with water to remove any dust or dirt, then push it back into the socket and have your child bite down on a piece of sterile gauze to hold it in place. If you can’t do this (or your child won’t let you), place the tooth in a small cup of saliva or milk and we will put it back into the socket during your child’s appointment.

Call our office and we will let you know whether emergency treatment is necessary. Have your child rinse their mouth with warm water and place a cold compress on their face to reduce any inflammation. Put the piece of broken tooth in a small cup of milk or saliva and bring it to our office for your child’s appointment.

Ask your pediatrician about non-prescription pain relievers that can be used to alleviate any pain and have your child stick to a diet of soft foods until the discomfort subsides. Soreness is common in the days after getting braces and also following orthodontic adjustments.

For a rubber band ligature, use clean tweezers to put it back onto the bracket. If your child has wire ligatures, you can remove it using tweezers; if it’s not loose, but it’s poking your child and causing irritation, use a Q-Tip or clean pencil eraser to bend it away from the soft tissues. Call our office and we can decide whether your child needs to be seen before their next appointment.