Call 911 or go to the emergency room first if
- Breathing is difficult.
- Your child will not wake, or is hard to wake.
- Bleeding does not slow with firm, steady pressure.
- Swelling makes breathing or swallowing difficult.
- There is a serious injury to the head, neck or face.
Knocked-out adult tooth
An adult tooth is one of the second set, the teeth that replace the baby teeth from about age 6. For an adult tooth, time matters.
- Pick the tooth up by the crown, the part you see when your child smiles. Do not touch the root.
- If it is dirty, rinse it briefly, about 10 seconds, under cold running water. Do not scrub it and do not use soap.
- Keep it in a small container of milk, or in saliva your child has spat into a cup, never in water.
- Call 786-320-5445 right away. If no one answers, go to the nearest emergency room.
Knocked-out baby tooth
Do not put a baby tooth back in the socket (the hole the tooth sat in). Putting it back can harm the adult tooth growing underneath. Press clean gauze on the area if it bleeds. Call 786-320-5445, describe what you see, and bring the tooth if you have it.
Broken or chipped tooth
Rinse the mouth with warm water. Save any pieces in milk. Hold a cold compress on the cheek, on the outside, while you call. Call 786-320-5445 the same day.
Tooth pain
Rinse with warm water and hold a cold compress on the outside of the cheek. Do not place aspirin on the gums. For pain medicine, follow the label for your child’s age and weight, or ask your pharmacist. Call 786-320-5445 and say where the pain is, when it started and whether the face looks swollen.
Swelling
Call 786-320-5445 the same day. If swelling makes breathing, swallowing or opening an eye difficult, or your child is hard to wake, call 911 or go to the emergency room first.
When you call
If no one answers and you are worried, go to the nearest emergency room.
Periodontal care is the care of the gums and the bone that hold the teeth. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry advises a first visit by the first tooth and no later than the first birthday.
Treatment needs written consent from a parent or legal guardian. If another adult brings your child with your signed authorization, that adult stays in the room.
Questions parents ask
My child bumped a tooth and it looks fine. Should we call?
Yes. Call 786-320-5445 and describe what happened. A tooth can darken or loosen days after a knock, so a check may be suggested.
Should I bring the broken piece?
Yes. Keep it in milk and bring it with you.
What if the office is closed?
Call 786-320-5445 first. If no one answers, go to the nearest emergency room.
Sources
- American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry: aapd.org
- International Association of Dental Traumatology: iadt-dentaltrauma.org
- American Dental Association, MouthHealthy: mouthhealthy.org
For a tooth injury, call rather than use the form: the front desk tells you whether to come in and what to bring. We reply to visit requests within one business day. Pediatric times are confirmed once bookings open closer to the date.