Emergencies

As a parent, it is not always easy to determine when a child needs immediate attention. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to call our office. One of our doctors is on call 24 hours, 7 days per week to give advice over the phone or assist you in the office as needed. Our phone number is 913-250-6583

Pain:

Dental pain can range from minor gum irritation to severe tooth infections. As a general rule, pain needs to be addressed quickly if it happens spontaneously, keeps your child awake at night, or doesn’t respond to appropriate doses of pain medication.

Cut or Bitten Tongue, Lip or Cheek:

You may apply cold compresses to injured areas to help control swelling and bleeding. If bleeding cannot be controlled by simple pressure, call our office or take your child to a hospital emergency room.

Knocked out PERMENANT Tooth: 

• Handle the tooth by the crown (the white portion of the tooth), not by the root.
• Briefly rinse the tooth with water to remove dirt.
• DO NOT clean the tooth with soap or handle it unnecessarily.
• Inspect the tooth for fractures. If it appears whole, try to reinsert it into the socket. The tooth should displace the blood clot relatively easy, If excessive force is needed, do not continue to reinsert the tooth.
• Have your child gently bite on gauze or something soft to hold the tooth in place.
• If you cannot reinsert the tooth, place the tooth under your child’s tongue and in contact with their saliva. If you are concerned your child will swallow the tooth transport the tooth in a cup containing MILK or water if milk is not available.
• You should contact our office Our number is (913)250-6583. Time is a critical factor in determining the long-term outcome for the tooth.

Knocked out PRIMARY (Baby) Tooth:

• DO NOT try to reinsert the tooth.
• Contact our office as soon as possible.
• You may apply cold cold compresses to injured areas to help control swelling and bleeding.
• Baby teeth are not reinserted because of the potential for damage to the developing permanent tooth buds. Usually this type of injury does not need immediate follow-up. Although very hard for parents to see their child loose a baby front tooth it is better for them to have a funny 1^st grade picture than a senior picture.
• Please do not hesitate to contact our office if you have any questions, or if your child sustained other injuries.

 

Chipped or Fractured PERMANENT Tooth: 

• Rinse the mouth with water and apply cold compresses to reduce swelling.
• Locate any broken tooth fragments, place them in milk and bring them with you to the dentist.
• Contact our office as soon as possible. Our goal is to save the tooth, protect the health of the nerve and prevent infection.
• Not all fractured permanent teeth need immediate attention; however, the outcome for a tooth with a complicated fracture can significantly improve with prompt treatment.

Chipped or Fractured PRIMARY (Baby) Tooth:

• Usually this does not require immediate attention if the fracture only involves the outer shell of the tooth.
• If a larger part of the tooth is fractured you should contact our office. We will help determine if your child should be seen immediately.
• Small fractures of primary teeth are very common. This is particularly true when children are learning to walk.

Severe Blow to the Head:  

• Take your child to the nearest emergency room immediately, especially if your child loses consciousness or experiences vomiting.
• Even if you notice dental trauma your child should be seen by a physician rather than our office. The teeth are of secondary importance when compared to emergency medical treatment.

Possible Broken or Fractured Jaw: 

• Keep the jaw from moving and take your child to the nearest hospital emergency room.

How can we prevent dental injuries?

• Sport related injuries can be reduced or entirely prevented by wearing a properly fitted mouth guard. Child proofing your home may help in reducing injuries at home. In addition, regular dental check ups will contribute to preventive care. Here is more information on mouth guard safety.

Dental Trauma Resources: 

• A much more detailed an in depth source of information for dental traumas can be found by visiting dentaltraumaguide.com