About Simcoe Kids Emergency Dental Care Services
What warrants emergency dental care for kids? Any oral trauma or tooth-related problem that you just didn’t see coming and you feel needs immediate attention.
Show us a kid who has never needed to see an emergency pediatric dentist, and we’ll show you the tooth fairy!
Kids are active, adventurous, and, truth be told, quite often still clumsy. All of which can result in chipped, broken, loose (or knocked-out) teeth, dental pain, and other traumatic mouth injuries.
Playground disasters, a simple stumble, sports-related accidents, an out-of-the-blue excruciating toothache – all may require emergency dental care for your kid. All these and more can, and probably will happen to your child at some point in time. When they do, you’re going to want to see our emergency pediatric dentist as quickly as possible!
We have implemented flexible scheduling in our children’s dental practice, with wiggle room left open in our daily bookings to accommodate the unexpected wiggly (or worse) tooth.
Emergency Dental Care FACTS
Some of the most common reasons for emergency dental care for kids, where your child might need to see an emergency pediatric dentist – and fast – include:
SEVERE TOOTHACHE
There’s nothing quite like an excruciating toothache or other pains in the mouth to make your little one miserable – and keep both you and them up at night! A fairly common occurrence for many children, oral aches and pains can be caused by a number of factors, such as:
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- Tooth decay
- Cavities
- Plaque buildup
- Broken teeth
- New teeth erupting
- Food trapped between teeth
- Many other causes
If your child is complaining about toothache or mouth pain, or if your younger child is clearly in oral pain or discomfort (you’ll know!), there are a few things you can do to help alleviate any pain right away.
Start by looking inside the mouth and checking for any swelling, redness, broken teeth, or other abnormalities.
Do a thorough floss to get rid of any stuck food, then rinse with warm salt water. If the pain is really bad, you can even apply a cold compress to the outer cheek near the infected area, and douse with appropriate kids’ painkiller medication.
If none of this provides effective, persistent relief, it’s time get in touch with our emergency pediatric dentist.
If you have a dental emergency, call our dental clinic at (705) 727-5705 and we will help find the problem and make it go away!
KNOCKED-OUT BABY TEETH
First off, if the tooth was knocked out due to some serious oral trauma, it is important to rule out concussions or head injuries first. Call 911 or head to your local hospital emergency room before even thinking about the tooth trouble.
Once you’ve ruled that out, there really is no need to panic about a baby tooth being knocked out. For one thing, baby teeth typically have shallow roots, which means there is much less chance of permanent damage if the tooth is knocked out. For another, re-implantation of baby teeth is typically unnecessary as they were going to lose those baby teeth anyway.
That being said, you are still going to want to see an emergency pediatric dentist as soon as possible for knocked out baby teeth in order to rule out any possible damage to adjacent teeth and gums. Our digital X-Rays can see things the naked eye can’t, plus we’d like to see the tooth in question to rule out any other possible causes or underlying issues.
KNOCKED-OUT PERMANENT TEETH
Once again, when it comes to head injuries that may have caused a tooth to be knocked out, you’re going to want to first rule out more serious injuries such as a concussion. With serious head injury ruled out, do take a second to save the knocked-out tooth immediately, as that is key to successful re-implantation (where possible).
First, pick up the knocked-out tooth by the crown (i.e., not the root) and rinse with water or milk. Then transfer the tooth to a clean container and cover it with milk or salt water to keep it from drying out.
Now call us at (705) 727-5705 or email michelle@simcoekidsdental.ca to schedule an emergency dental appointment – ideally within one hour of the accident (barring more serious injuries that will have you headed to the emergency room rather than the emergency pediatric dentist).
Finally, remember that now is not the time to tell your child how careless they were (even if that really was the case)! A knocked-out tooth can be incredibly painful given that it affects the nerves, supporting tissues, and blood vessels. The pain they are feeling will be lesson enough!
PREMATURELY LOOSE BABY TEETH
Not to be confused with naturally loosening baby teeth with wiggly teeth starting by age five, if your baby’s teeth are loose thanks to an accident of some kind, be sure to see an emergency child dentist as soon as you can; the earlier the better.
Our Simcoe Kids Dental team offers emergency dental care for kids that still have their baby teeth. We can assess the tooth and roots for any underlying causes and nip any ongoing problems in the bud; plus help with getting the tooth to re-implant if possible; or pull that sucker out if necessary to avoid discomfort and prevent choking hazards.
CRACKED OR CHIPPED TEETH
Chipped and cracked baby teeth are something we see quite a lot. While not a cause for undue concern, you are going to want to get them fixed to ensure long-term oral health! Signs of chipped teeth include teeth turning grey; infected gums – look for swelling, redness, or discolouration; and dental discomfort such as an obvious sensitivity to hot or cold food and drink.
OTHER CHILD DENTAL EMERGENCY SERVICES
Is your child experiencing or exhibiting signs of dental distress with no obvious cause? Give us a call at any time at (705) 727-5705. No need for you to stress about what the problem might be when we can figure it out for you, and alleviate their pain and your anxiety in the process.
The Simcoe Kids Dental Difference
All of the situations listed above for emergency dental care for kids can be diagnosed and fixed quickly, efficiently, and gently by our emergency pediatric dentist. Plus, not only have we trained in all things teeth, we specialize in pediatric dentistry and keeping kids happy and comfortable while we do it!
Our local emergency dental team will assess and fix the issue, along with your child’s tooth development for their age, the severity of the injury, and if any other teeth have been impacted. This thorough approach guarantees no lasting damage and a future of long-term oral health for your child, filled with bright, happy, toothy grins!
Emergency Dental
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a dental emergency?
A dental emergency is any dental situation that requires immediate attention. This might include trauma to the mouth, a loose or knocked out tooth, severe pain, bleeding, or swelling, or an infection or abscess tooth.
Is a cracked tooth a dental emergency?
In most cases, a broken, chipped or cracked tooth is not a dental emergency unless the pulp or root of the tooth is exposed and there is a high risk of infection.
What to do in case of dental emergency?
In case of a dental emergency, whether the oral trauma is to the teeth, gums, jaw, or the soft tissues of the mouth, phone your dentist immediately and explain your condition so the dentist can assess if your situation warrants an emergency visit.
How much is emergency dental treatment?
During regular business hours, the cost of emergency dental treatment is generally comparable with a regular dental visit. The cost may be slightly more for 24-hour emergency dental care that falls outside of normal business hours.