What Counts as a Dental Emergency
Some situations clearly require immediate attention, while others can wait until regular office hours. Knowing the difference helps you respond appropriately and gives you peace of mind when something happens. A knocked-out permanent tooth needs treatment within an hour for the best chance of saving it. Heavy bleeding that won’t stop after ten minutes of pressure, a jaw injury that might involve a fracture, or severe swelling that affects breathing all require immediate care.
Other situations are urgent but not quite at an emergency level. A broken tooth with sharp edges, a loose permanent tooth, or significant tooth pain that interferes with eating or sleeping should be seen the same day, but they’re not life-threatening. Even if you’re unsure how serious something is, call us—we’ll ask the right questions and guide you through the next steps.
Common Pediatric Dental Emergencies
Kids are incredibly creative when it comes to injuring their teeth. We’ve seen dental emergencies from everything imaginable—trampolines, scooters, and siblings. Here’s what we handle most often:
Knocked-Out Teeth
When a permanent tooth gets knocked completely out, time becomes critical. Find the tooth, hold it by the crown (never the root), gently rinse it if it’s dirty, and try to place it back in the socket if your child can hold it there safely. If that’s not possible, put it in milk or have your child hold it in their cheek. Then get to our office immediately. Baby teeth that get knocked out usually aren’t replanted, but we still want to examine your child to check for other injuries.
Chipped or Broken Teeth
The severity varies widely here. Sometimes a small chip on a front tooth just needs smoothing and causes no real problems. Other times, a break exposes the nerve, causing significant pain and requiring more extensive treatment. Save any tooth fragments you can find, rinse your child’s mouth with warm water, and apply a cold compress to reduce swelling. We’ll assess the damage and determine whether we need a filling, crown, or other restoration.
Severe Toothaches
Sudden, intense tooth pain usually signals infection or a deep cavity. Rinse your child’s mouth with warm water and use dental floss to make sure nothing is stuck between teeth causing the discomfort. Don’t apply aspirin or pain medication directly to the gums—it can burn tissue. You can give age-appropriate doses of children’s pain reliever and apply a cold compress to the outside of the cheek while you wait to see us.
Injuries to Soft Tissues
Lips, tongues, cheeks, and gums can all get cut or bitten during falls or accidents. Clean the area gently with water and apply pressure with clean gauze or a cloth to stop bleeding. A cold compress helps with swelling. Most soft tissue injuries in children heal remarkably well, but deep cuts or bleeding that won’t stop need professional evaluation.
How We Handle Pediatric Dental Emergencies in Kaysville
When you arrive for emergency care, our first priority is ensuring your child feels safe, despite being scared or in pain. We move quickly but never frantically—we explain what we’re doing in age-appropriate ways and involve children in their own care when possible. This approach helps calm kids down and encourages them to cooperate with necessary treatment.
We thoroughly assess the injury, often using digital imaging to visualize what’s happening beneath the surface. Then we explain your options clearly. Sometimes we can provide definitive treatment right away. At other times, we stabilize the situation and schedule follow-up care once the swelling has gone down or a restoration has been fabricated. Either way, you’ll leave knowing exactly what happened, what we did, and what comes next.
Preventing Future Emergencies
While you can’t prevent every accident, some simple precautions reduce risk significantly. Mouthguards should be non-negotiable for contact sports, skateboarding, and similar activities. They’re inexpensive and dramatically reduce the chance of serious dental injuries. We can even create custom-fitted guards that protect better and feel more comfortable than store-bought versions.
Childproofing your home matters too, especially for toddlers who are still developing coordination. Padding sharp furniture corners, using gates on stairs, and supervising active play help prevent falls that lead to dental injuries.
We’re Here When You Need Us
Dental emergencies are stressful enough without worrying about whether your dentist will see your child quickly. At Kaysville Pediatric Dental & Orthodontics, we prioritize emergency appointments and do everything possible to accommodate urgent situations the same day. Dr. Jones and Dr. Harrison know that quick treatment often means better outcomes, and they’re committed to being there when Kaysville families need them most.
Don’t wait; if your child experiences a dental emergency, call Kaysville Pediatric Dental & Orthodontics immediately at our office number. We’ll provide your child with the expert care they need. When minutes matter, we’re ready to help.