Dental Emergencies

Emergency Dental Care

We are now offering virtual dental visits for our patients! Offering Teledentistry appointments will allow us to meet with our patients from the ease of your own home! We are aiming to make dental care as easy as possible. With current social limitations in place, we are striving to provide top-notch dental care to all our patients.

Our Doctors will be able to perform consultations and limited exams over video chat. They can diagnose potential problems and help determine if you need an in-person emergency appointment. Please call us at 801-312-1715 to schedule your appointment.
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How to Respond to Your Child’s Dental Emergency

There are many common causes of childhood dental injury including bathtubs, tile floors, stairs, coffee tables, swimming pools, bicycles, scooters, play structures, trampolines, and sports activities. Below are some examples of common dental emergencies and helpful tips of what you can do to help your child.

Toothache

If your child tells you that they have a toothache, you should first check the tooth to see if there happens to be any food trapped inside or around it. Gently brush and floss the area thoroughly and then have them rinse out their mouth by swishing warm salt water. Doing this will help remove any debris that could be causing the toothache. If the pain does not subside, give your child an appropriate dose of pain relief medication and call any one of our locations along the Wasatch Front here in Utah to make an appointment.

Swelling

A tooth infection that has lead to swelling in your child’s face could potentially be a life-threatening situation. If your child is experiencing this, don’t hesitate to take action. Take your child to a hospital emergency room immediately. While you’re waiting to see a doctor, place a cold compress on your child’s face to help reduce swelling and pain. If your doctor confirms that your child’s situation is a dental issue, call us at Burg Children’s Dentistry for an emergency appointment. We can evaluate where the infection is and how to best treat it.

Cut/Bitten Tongue, Lip, or Cheek

To help stop any bleeding, apply firm yet gentle pressure to the area with a clean cloth. If the bleeding has not stopped after fifteen minutes, take your child to the hospital emergency room. Apply a cold compress to the bruised or swollen areas. If your child’s injury has affected their teeth, jawbone or the tissues around their mouth, call us for an appointment after your ER visit.

Bleeding After Baby Tooth Falls Out

Typically, this is not something you should worry too much about. In fact, a small amount of bleeding is very common after children lose baby teeth. To help stop any bleeding that is occurring, have your child bite on a clean folded cloth or piece of gauze for fifteen minutes and make sure he/she is staying still. Repeat this if necessary.

A Knocked Out Permanent Tooth

Although losing a baby tooth isn’t too serious of an issue, losing a permanent tooth is. If this happens to your child, contact a dentist immediately. Time is a crucial factor in saving a permanent tooth. Find the tooth and gently rinse it off with room temperature water. Carefully hold the tooth by the crown, not the root. Do not scrub it! Place the tooth into its socket and have your child hold the tooth in place. If you are not able to reinsert the tooth into your child’s mouth, put it in a cup with milk or water and bring it to the dentist as soon as possible..

Knocked Out Baby Tooth

If your child’s baby tooth is ever knocked out, you should still call a dentist to make an appointment to assess any damage done to their other teeth, jawbone, or tissues around their mouth. Baby teeth should NOT be put back into the mouth because it could damage the emerging permanent tooth.

Broken Tooth

If your child’s tooth gets broken, make sure to rinse the injured area with warm water. To reduce swelling, place a cold compress on their face where the oral injury is. Call any of our office locations immediately so we can assess further injuries, repair the tooth, and prevent infections from developing.

Cold / Canker Sores

Cold/canker sores are a relatively common problem for children. Many children occasionally suffer from cold sores around their lips as well as canker sores inside their mouth. These sores usually take seven to 14 days to heal. To aid in healing and pain reduction, there are products available at your local pharmacy. Please let us know if your child frequently has cold or canker sores or if the sores last longer than usual. If so, prescription medications may be necessary.

Look to Burg Children’s Dentistry

We understand that a dental emergency can be a scary event for your child to experience. The dentists and staff at Burg Children’s Dentistry are gentle and strive to provide an environment where your child can feel safe and comfortable. If you find your child in need of emergency dental services, give us a call. We are here for you!