Emergency Dentist — Auburn, MA

Toothache

Is my child’s toothache an emergency? Toothaches are a common dental emergency for children, and most of them are caused by tooth decay. They are painful, distracting, and may be the result of a serious oral health problem. Your child’s toothache may be an emergency if it results in swelling, fever, fatigue, insomnia, a bump in their gums, or darkening or loosening of the tooth.

How you should handle your child’s toothache: Begin by flossing and rinsing the area to remove any debris that may be irritating the tooth. If the pain continues, use a cold compress and administer an over-the-counter children’s pain reliever until we can evaluate the tooth at our office.

How we treat toothaches in children: We will begin by examining the tooth and taking X-rays to determine the source of the problem. Based on our findings, we may recommend a filling or a pulpotomy, and we will do everything we can to keep your child comfortable. It’s still important to treat baby teeth since they play a key role in helping the adult teeth emerge.

Cracked Tooth

Is my child’s cracked tooth an emergency?  While cracked teeth are dental emergencies, the urgency of the issue depends on the severity of the damage. While major damage should be treated immediately, minor damage may be able to wait a few days if necessary. Your child may have an invisible crack if they complain about dental sensitivity after sustaining a blow to the face.

How you should handle your child’s cracked tooth: Your child may experience soreness and dental sensitivity after cracking a tooth. To help them stay comfortable until their appointment, have them avoid crunchy foods and hot or cold beverages while taking a child-friendly over-the-counter pain reliever.

How we treat children’s cracked teeth: We may recommend treating a cracked tooth with a dental filling or another treatment, and we will go over all of the treatment options before we proceed so you can make the best decision for your child.

Chipped Tooth

Is my child’s chipped tooth an emergency? While a chipped tooth isn’t usually an urgent emergency, it still must be treated in a timely manner to prevent serious oral health issues.

How you should handle your child’s chipped tooth: Have your child rinse their mouth to wash away any shards of the tooth so they cannot be swallowed or choked on. Try to find any large pieces so you can bring them to our office. Make sure your child does not touch or bite down on the tooth. If there is any discomfort, use child-friendly pain medication, and you can cover any sharp edges of the tooth with dental wax or sugar-free gum to prevent cuts or irritation. If you can, keep your child from chewing or eating until their appointment.

How we treat children’s chipped teeth: We usually treat chipped teeth by filling the damaged area with composite resin, and we may be able to reattach large shards in some cases. Since it’s common for teeth to be chipped when playing sports, our dentist may recommend fitting your child with a customized athletic mouthguard.

Learn More Sports Mouthguards

Knocked-Out Permanent Tooth

Is a knocked-out permanent tooth an emergency? A knocked-out permanent tooth, also called a dislodged tooth, is a serious issue that requires immediate treatment since its chances of being reimplanted begin to fall after thirty minutes. Call our office to schedule an emergency appointment and receive information on keeping the tooth in savable condition.

How you should handle a knocked-out permanent tooth: Only handle the tooth by the crown, as touching the roots can injure the vulnerable tissues inside. You can rinse a dirty dislodged tooth by swishing it in water, but don’t scrub it or use any cleaning products like soap. It’s best to place it back in its socket for transport, but you can also carry it in a clean container with milk or saliva.

How we treat knocked-out permanent teeth: The team at New England Kids will do everything we can to save your child’s tooth. If it is in good condition when you get to our office, we may be able to reseat it in its socket and help it reintegrate with the surrounding gum and bone tissues. However, we may need to discuss an appropriate replacement if the tooth cannot be saved.

Knocked-Out Baby Tooth

Is a knocked-out baby tooth an emergency? While it’s best for baby teeth to fall out on their own, children sometimes knock them out accidentally. If this happens, we’ll need to see your child to make sure their other teeth are safe and if any further action needs to be taken.

How you should handle a knocked-out baby tooth: Have your child rinse their mouth and apply pressure through a tissue or gauze. If your kid reports any pain, you can apply a cold compress or ice pack to the side of their cheek for ten minutes at a time after the bleeding has stopped. It’s best to instruct them not to eat anything hard, crunchy, sticky, or acidic. You can also give your child over-the-counter pain relievers.

How we treat knocked-out baby teeth: We can determine an appropriate course of treatment after we evaluate your child’s mouth. In some cases, no action may be necessary. In others, we may need to make some slight repairs to the other teeth or place an appliance to make sure the rest of the smile doesn’t drift out of alignment due to the missing tooth.

Bitten Tongue, Lip, Cheek

Is a bitten tongue, lip, or cheek an emergency? Soft tissue injuries can be quite alarming since they can hurt and bleed a lot. While cuts to the tongue, lip, or cheek can usually be treated at home, head to the emergency room if you cannot control the bleeding after ten minutes.

How you should handle your child’s soft tissue injury: Instruct your child to rinse their mouth with water several times before applying pressure to the wound with gauze or a clean wet washcloth. Once the bleeding has ceased, you can use a cold compress or ice pack to reduce discomfort and swelling.

How we treat soft tissue injuries in children: When treating wounds in your child’s mouth, we will check for damage to the teeth and may stitch the wounds shut. If the problem was caused by an athletic injury, it may be a great idea to have your child fitted for a customized mouthguard for protection.

Learn More About Customized Mouthguards

Dental Concussion

Is my child’s dental concussion an emergency? If your child’s tooth is shoved out of place but hasn’t been knocked out, it’s considered a dental concussion. You should give us a call right away to schedule an emergency appointment, especially if your child is in significant pain or their tooth is darkening.

How you should handle your child’s dental concussion: Ask your child to carefully rinse their mouth with warm water. They can take over-the-counter pain medication and use a cold compress to ease any discomfort. In the meantime, they need to avoid contact with the tooth.

How we treat dental concussions in children: First, we’ll thoroughly check the tooth and take X-rays to determine the best course of action. In some cases, the teeth will straighten themselves out over time. Other cases will need a splint. Patients with more severe cases might need root canal therapy, orthodontics, or even extraction.

Learn More About Orthodontics

Sensitive Teeth

Are my child’s sensitive teeth an emergency? Most cases of sensitive teeth in children are caused by cavities. Although it isn’t always an issue that requires immediate care, it still indicates that there’s a problem brewing. Your child’s tooth could be in danger, which is why you should give us a call right away.

How you should handle your child’ sensitive teeth: When you give us a call, we’ll provide you with first aid instructions to help you manage the situation in the meantime. You should encourage your child to drink lukewarm water and avoid eating sweet, spicy, and acidic foods. Using desensitizing toothpaste and rinsing with mouthwash can also help.

How we treat sensitive teeth in children: We’ll need to identify the underlying cause before we can recommend a treatment method. Depending on the situation, your child may need fluoride treatment or dental sealants.

Lost Filling/Crown

Is my child’s lost filling or crown an emergency? Losing a filling or crown can be painful because it exposes the sensitive inner portion of your tooth. If your child’s restoration falls out, they’ll need treatment right away to protect the tooth from further damage and infection.

How you should handle your child’s lost filling or crown: Schedule a same-day appointment and tell your child to avoid chewing on that side of the mouth to prevent further decay or breakage. Although we may be able to recement the restoration into place, it will likely need to be replaced entirely.

How we treat lost fillings or crowns in children: In many cases, a replacement will be the best solution. If you see us right away, your child likely won’t need treatment for other issues (like an infection).

Learn More About Fillings

Something Stuck between Teeth

Is having something stuck between my child’s teeth an emergency? It’s usually not considered a dental emergency. However, you should give us a call if you need help removing the foreign object. 

How you should handle something stuck between your child’s teeth: Use dental floss and encourage your child to rinse with warm water. Avoid using sharp objects (like a toothpick) to remove the item as it could easily cause damage. Don’t hesitate to give us a call if you need help.