Does Your Child Have a Dental Emergency? Read This

It’s a day just like any other. You are sipping your morning coffee and catching up on your favorite morning show when you notice it’s eerily quiet. Like clockwork, you hear a loud crash followed by your child crying. You rush to their room and immediately notice that their mouth is bleeding.

In the midst of trying to soothe them and ease their pain, it can be nerve-wracking not knowing what to do next. An emergency dentist in Bristol shares 4 things to do if your child has an urgent dental issue.

Step 1: Ask Questions

When your child experiences a dental emergency, it can be difficult to focus on anything but their helpless face. However, the first step in providing them the relief they need is to ask questions. Here are a few to help you pinpoint the details of their injury:

• Can you point to the pain?
• What does the pain feel like?
• May I take a look?

Do your best to ask these questions calmly as to not further escalate the situation. When you take a look in your child’s mouth, keep an eye out for any bleeding, swelling, redness, or broken teeth. This will help you assess where the pain is stemming from and how urgent the injury is.

Step 2: Use Warm Salt Water

Priority number one is relieving their pain and cleaning the area of bacteria that causes infection. Fortunately, a simple home remedy of warm salt water can do just the trick. Start by heating up a cup of water on the stove or in the microwave. Once it is warm, add a teaspoon of salt and allow it to dissolve. For about 30 seconds at a time, have your child swish the solution in their mouth before spitting it out. This can draw out excess fluid, alleviate the pain, and encourage faster healing.

Step 3: Apply Ice

If the affected area is swollen, applying ice or a cold compress can help reduce the inflammation. The cold temperature restricts the blood vessels, resulting in less pain and irritation. Apply the ice in cycles of 15 minutes on and 15 minutes off until the swelling subsides.

Step 4: Call Your Child’s Dentist

Using salt water and applying ice are only temporary solutions in a dental emergency. For long-term pain relief that treats the root cause of the issue, it is of the utmost importance that your child sees their dentist as soon as possible.

Dental emergencies can come on suddenly and cause a great deal of panic for both you and your child. If you find yourself in this kind of situation, calmly follow these 4 steps so that your child can be back to their pain-free, happy self in no time!

About Bristol Family Dental

Dr. Katkowski, Dr. Michaelson, Dr. Yan, Dr. Christian, and Dr. Goykman are experts who are eager to be your reliable children’s dentist in Bristol. Their state-of-the-art technology allows them to fix damaged teeth quickly, all in a comfortable and friendly environment for your entire family. If your child experiences a dental emergency, don’t hesitate to visit their website or give them a call at 860-589-2794.