Does Your Child Need an Emergency Dentist?
When your child has a problem with their teeth, don’t panic. Not all accidents require , but those that do depend on you finding a dentist in time to repair your child’s tooth. Fortunately, our Hudsonville pediatric dentist understands that toothaches or abscesses can’t always wait.If your child has an emergency that isn’t listed here, call our Hudsonville pediatric dental office for further instructions. Our compassionate staff can help you determine the best next steps so you can protect your child’s smile and oral health.Here’s what you need to know about the difference between urgent and non-urgent emergencies.
Where Do I Take My Child for a Dental Emergency?
First thing’s first: Call our office. If your , we’ll do everything we can to fit you into our schedule. We don’t recommend going to the ER unless the injury is serious and/or life threatening.
Examples of when you should visit the hospital include if your child has:
- A fractured jaw
- A dislocated jaw
- Deep cuts to the face or mouth that won’t stop bleeding
- A large dental abscess that makes it difficult to breathe and swallow
For anything else, the only thing a medical doctor can do is write a prescription for antibiotics and pain relievers. Only an emergency dentist like ours will be able to treat the underlying cause of your child’s pain and discomfort.
Urgent Dental Emergencies
Jaw, gum, or tooth pain is the body’s way of letting you know you need emergency dental care. If your child has an urgent situation, you can count on us to provide treatment that is both timely and comforting.
Our pediatric dentist encourages you to seek urgent dental care for:
- Severe tooth pain
- Dental abscess
- Swollen gums
- Loose tooth
- Knocked-out tooth
- Broken tooth or large piece of tooth is missing
- Large crack or chip in tooth
Non-Urgent Dental Emergencies
If your child is having a non-urgent dental emergency, you’ll be able to schedule your appointment during normal office hours. This means that if a dental sealant cracks on Saturday afternoon, you’ll have to wait until Monday morning to take your child to have it fixed by our pediatric dentist.
Non-urgent dental emergencies include:
- Lost filling
- Dull toothache
- Food lodged between teeth
- Small chip or crack in tooth
If your child is experiencing dental pain, request an appointment with our emergency dentist to be seen as early as today. The sooner you seek emergency dental care, the sooner you can alleviate pain and prevent permanent damage to your child’s teeth and gums. A fast response can also help you avoid expensive tooth restorations to repair your child’s smile.
How to Prevent Dental Emergencies
In addition to emergency dental services, we can help you protect your child’s teeth from illness or injury. For example, a custom mouth guard will protect your child’s teeth and gums while playing contact sports. The last thing you want is to have their season cut short by a dental emergency.
A mouth guard made by our pediatric dentist is different from what you can get at the store because it is custom-fitted to the contours of your child’s teeth and gums. Our mouth guards are also more comfortable to wear, allowing your child to breathe and drink with ease so they can focus on the game.
Request an Appointment With Us!
Hudsonville Dental Kids offers sedation dentistry and other services to help your child relax in the chair and get the dental care they need during a dental emergency. To schedule an appointment with our pediatric dentist in Hudsonville, MI, call (616) 209-4039.
This blog has been updated.
