Pediatric Dental Emergencies In Infants, Children and Teenagers

Dr. Girdlestone is can to assist with pediatric dental dmergencies in infants, children and teenagers by calling our office at 330-491-7777 for urgent treatment. 

Knocked-Out Tooth -Tooth Avulsion

When a tooth is completely displaced out of its socket (tooth avulsion) and the socket is found empty or filled with a blood clot, your child suffers  from a knocked out tooth. It is possible to save the tooth if one acts immediately and follows these instructions. 

1. Find the tooth and rinse it with water, do not use soap
2. Take care not to touch the root of the tooth, only touch the crown
3. Place the tooth in salt or milk and place over ice
4. Or place the tooth in a cup of milk 
5. Call us immediately: Stephen P. Girdlestone, DDS – 330-491-7777

Object Caught In Teeth

If your child has something caught between his or her teeth, use dental floss to gently remove it. Never use a metal, plastic, or sharp tool to remove a stuck object. If you are unable to remove the item with dental floss, give us a call.

Broken, Chipped, or Fractured Tooth

If your child has chipped or broken a piece off of a tooth, rinse his or her mouth with warm water, then use a cold compress to reduce swelling. Try to locate and save the tooth fragment that broke off. Call us immediately.

Loose Tooth

Remove very loose teeth to prevent your child from swallowing the tooth or worse, inhaling the tooth.

Toothpain (Toothaches) in Children

If your child complains of a toothache, inspect his or her teeth for objects caught between the teeth. Then rinse his or her mouth with warm water  and inspect again. To reduce tooth pain, provide children's pain relievers orally  and apply cold compresses to reduce the pain. Do not apply heat or any kind of aspirin or topical pain reliever directly to the affected area, as this can cause damage to the gums. Schedule an appointment immediately.

Bitten Lip or Tongue

If your child has suffered from biting his or her lip or tongue, wash the would with warm water and happy a cold compress to reduce the swelling and pain. Call Dr. Girdlestone’s office to determine how serious it is or visit your local emergency room for serious injuries.

Broken Jaw

If you believe your child has broken their jaw, apply cold compresses and proceed to the hospital immediately for medical attention. Head injuries and especially loss of consciousness can be dangerous and even life-threatening.

Avoiding Injury

You can help your child avoid dental emergencies. Child-proof your house to avoid falls. Don't let your child chew on ice, popcorn kernels, or other hard foods. Always use car seats for young children and require seat belts for older children. And if your child plays contact sports, have him or her wear a mouth guard. Ask us about creating a custom-fitted mouthguard for your child. Finally, prevent toothaches with regular brushing, flossing, and visits to our office.

To schedule an appointment with our pediatric dentist, Dr. Steve Girdlestone, please phone 330-491-7777.