Children’s Dental Emergencies in Charlottesville, VA

While we hope your child never suffers a dental emergency, life happens and kids will be kids! While you can you can always plan regular dental appointments months in advance, accidents can happen at any time and your child may require urgent or immediate care for a dental emergency.

Not to worry! At Children’s Dentistry of Charlottesville, we have dentists available to help you in the event of a dental emergency.

Below, we discuss some of the more common dental emergencies in children. We will also discuss what to do in the meantime before you make it into the office.

If your child is currently suffering from a dental emergency or any one of the below ailments, call our office at 434-817-1817.

We have an after-hours On-Call Phone at (434)-270-0552 for established patients of record for emergencies late in the evening or during weekends.

Not a patient of record? We’d be happy to get you in ASAP during regular business hours.

dental emergencies

Trauma

Trauma is the largest cause of dental emergencies in children. Trauma to the mouth, lips, chin, or teeth are all reasons to call our office. Damage to these areas can lead to a number of different issues, ranging from a chipped tooth to a broken jaw.

If your child has lost conscious as a result of any injury to the head or mouth, make sure to call 911 or head to the nearest emergency room.

 

Tooth Loss

How you handle tooth loss will vary depending on if the tooth was a permanent, adult tooth or a baby tooth.

Permanent Tooth Loss

Unlike baby teeth, which naturally fall out as your child ages and develops, permanent tooth loss is serious and requires immediate attention. Once your child alerts you that the tooth has been knocked out, make sure to follow these steps to prevent further damage.

  1. Rinse the tooth gently with warm water, being careful not to scrub or clean it.
  2. If you don’t think the tooth will be swallowed, place it back in the mouth, either in the socket it came from or between the cheek and gum. If your child is young and you think your child may swallow the tooth, please DO NOT have him or her hold the tooth in their mouth.
  3. If you don’t feel comfortable putting the tooth back into the mouth, put it in a container with milk, saliva, or plain water.
    Make sure you handle the tooth only by the crown, as it can be damaged by touching the root.

If your child has experienced a trauma or accident that resulted in the loss of a tooth, please call our office immediately. The chances of saving the tooth are best if addressed right away.

dental emergencies tooth loss

Baby Tooth Loss

If caused by an accident or traumatic event, your child may experience some initial minor pain and shock. However, compared to permanent teeth, there is less reason to be concerned about knocking a baby tooth out.

Since baby teeth naturally fall out over the course of development, they do not tend to survive trauma very well and are better left for the tooth fairy. It’s also important to not try to reinsert the tooth, as it could damage the permanent tooth underneath. While it’s still important to save the tooth, it’s not necessary to take the same steps at home as you would for a permanent tooth.

Remember, even though it’s totally normal for children to lose baby teeth, we do recommend they come in for an evaluation after being knocked out due to an accident. Make sure to bring the tooth in with you when your child comes in for the appointment.

 

“I absolutely love this place! The staff is outstanding with my children, always goes Above and Beyond to make sure that they’re happy and comfortable. We’ve never left there without Smiles on all of our faces! Couldn’t ask for a better Dental/Orthodontic office! Highly recommend them.”

– Kara B.

Other Common Dental Emergencies

Other than losing a tooth, there are a couple common dental ailments requiring attention.

Broken Teeth

Broken teeth are a common result of trauma. If your child’s tooth has been broken or severely chipped, first rinse out his or her mouth with warm water to clean the area. To reduce swelling, use a cold compress on the mouth in the area of the broken tooth. If possible, find the broken off piece of tooth and bring it to your child’s appointment.

Give us a call as soon as possible. It’s important for you to seek treatment quickly, so do call us immediately after you’re done attending to your child.

Toothache

Toothaches can be caused by a range of issues both big and small. If your child tells you about a toothache, it may be wise to wash out his or her mouth with warm water. Afterwards, inspect the mouth to see if you can see anything caught between teeth. If not, apply a cold compress to the face and give your child some children’s acetaminophen orally (never apply topical pain relievers in your child’s mouth).

Afterwards, call us to schedule an appointment so we can diagnose a toothache and work towards relieving your child’s pain.

Call Children’s Dentistry of Charlottesville at (434)-270-0552 if your child is suffering from a Dental Emergency

Frequently Asked Questions

When is it Okay to Call the Office for a Dental Emergency?

You can call our main phone number, 434-817-1817, during regular business hours. If you are having trouble after hours, and are an established patient of record, you can call our emergency line at (434)-270-0552 at any time! We’ll call you back and determine if we need to provide treatment after hours, schedule an office hours appointment first thing, or make other arrangements.

Can I Use Topical Aspirin or Other Pain Relievers for Pain Resulting From a Dental Emergency?

Never use topical pain relievers or aspirin for your child’s dental pain. Using topical ointments can cause serious damage to your child’s gums. It’s best to avoid these in children. Oral pain relievers such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen are okay to use. Cold compresses on the mouth over the pain area are also a great way to reduce swelling and limit pain.

Do you accept insurance or Medicaid?

Yes! We accept Medicaid as well as many other insurance plans, including those from:

  • Guardian
  • Metlife
  • Cigna
  • United Concordia
  • Delta Dental
  • Anthem

Is Your Child Suffering From a Dental Emergency?

Call (434) 817-1817 today

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