When Does Your Child Need Emergency Dental Care?

If you have children, you know that accidents can happen. A big problem is distinguishing an emergency from an injury that does not require immediate attention. Dental emergencies are no different — to be prepared, you need to learn what type of accidents call for emergency dental Markham and what can wait until morning.

When to Visit an Emergency Dental Office Markham

Toothache

A severe toothache, including pain when eating, is a sign of a cavity. It is possible that the decay has spread through the tooth and the infection has reached the pulp, in which case your child needs root canal therapy.

Broken tooth

Anything from impact during play or sports to eating hard food can cause damage to a tooth. Whereas minor chips can wait, if a large chunk breaks off, your child needs to see a dentist. Visible cracks and excessive bleeding also constitute as emergencies.

Knocked-out tooth

Unless a tooth falls out naturally, your child needs medical attention.

Steps for Dealing with a Dental Emergency Markham

If your child’s mouth is bleeding, rinse it with warm water. You can also use a gauze to stop the bleeding and hold an ice pack to the cheek to prevent swelling and to reduce discomfort. When pain is severe, give your child an analgesic, such as ibuprofen. Never use aspirin in the presence of bleeding, as the medication will thin the blood and prevent clotting.

If the problem is a knocked-out permanent tooth, try to reinsert the tooth. Never do this with a primary tooth, as you could damage the new tooth below the gums. In the case you cannot push the tooth back into its socket, store it in milk and bring it with you to the dentist.