If your child faces a dental emergency, give us a call immediately. If you need urgent treatment after hours, please call us and you will be routed to an on call dentist. We are always here to assist when your child’s dental health is at risk. Below are tips on dealing with urgent dental situations. You may want to display this list on your refrigerator or store it near your emergency phone numbers for easy reference.

Bitten Lip or Tongue

If your child bites his lip or tongue hard enough to cause bleeding, clean the area gently with water and apply a cold compress to reduce swelling. Call Smilez Pediatric Dental Group Loudoun, and we’ll be able to advise you on next steps depending on the severity of the bite.

Object Caught In Teeth

If something has become lodged in between your child’s teeth, use dental floss to remove it. Never, ever use anything metal, plastic or sharp to try and remove foreign objects as you could make a small problem worse. If you’re unable to remove the item with floss, call Smilez Pediatric Dental Group Loudoun, and we’ll be able to help.

Broken, Chipped, or Fractured Tooth

A broken, chipped, or fractured tooth warrants an immediate call to your Dulles pediatric dentist. In the meantime, have him rinse with warm water and then apply a cold compress to reduce swelling.

Knocked-Out Tooth

First things first, don’t panic. If you act quickly, it may be possible to save, and replace your child’s knocked-out tooth. Being careful not to touch the root, rinse the tooth with water (no soap) before placing it in a clean container with milk. Call Smilez Pediatric Dental Group Loudoun, and we may be able to get you see right away.

Toothache

If your child complains of a toothache, rinse his or her mouth with warm water and inspect the teeth to be sure there is nothing caught between them. If pain continues, use a cold compress to ease the pain. Do not apply heat or any kind of aspirin or topical pain reliever directly to the affected area, as this can cause damage to the gums, but children’s pain relievers may be taken orally. Call Smilez Pediatric Dental Group Loudoun to schedule an appointment, so that we can get to the root of his toothache.

Broken Jaw

If you suspect your child’s jaw may be broken, apply a cold compress to reduce swelling, and then call our emergency number or head to the hospital immediately.

Do your best to help your child avoid dental injury.

The best and easiest way to treat pediatric dental emergencies is by avoiding them altogether:

• Child-proof your house to avoid falls.
• Don’t let your child chew on ice, popcorn kernels, or other hard foods.
• Always use car seats for young children and require seatbelts for older children.
• If your child plays contact sports, have him or her wear a mouthguard. Ask us about creating a custom-fitted mouthguard for your child.

And of course: Toothaches can be prevents with regular brushing and flossing, and visiting Smilez Pediatric Dental Group Loudoun twice a year for checkups and cleaning.