What is Considered a Dental Emergency for Your Child?
By Gary Richardson | Published on January 5, 2011 | 0 Comments
As a loving parent, it can be hard to find the balance between when your child is in need of emergency care and when to hold off. While you understand that bumps and bruises are all a part of being young, even a minor fall can whip you into a frenzy. And although broken bones and head trauma are justifiable causes for alarm, what about problems with your child’s oral health? As a parent, how do you know when a toothache is more than just an annoying pain or what to do when your child takes a damaging fall?
Though there is no exact guidebook for your child’s dental emergencies, whenever you are in doubt, you should contact your dentist. Chances are that your dentist has an emergency number readily available for these types of situations.
Upon speaking with your child’s dentist, follow his recommendations, whether it is to make an appointment for the following day or head straight to the emergency room. Though you may not be aware of it, your local ER is equipped to handle dental emergencies as well. Gary Richardson DDS, an experienced children’s emergency dentist in Las Vegas, has been called to the ER to treat patients or assist physicians with emergency oral health matters.
If you’re faced with an emergency, try to stay calm: Though this may be your first time dealing with this type of situation, it definitely isn’t your dentist’s. At Adventure Smiles, the caring staff is trained to handle emergency situations and will offer your child the immediate care that he needs.
In the event that a traumatic dental accident occurs, Dr. Richardson explains that parents can keep their children calm by remaining calm themselves. In trying situations, children need to know that everything is all right and that they will be taken care of soon.
After the initial dental emergency is taken care of and you have made sure that your child is comfortable,you should take the opportunity to discuss with your child’s dentist or the doctor on call in the ER how to proceed. Depending on the type of trauma sustained, you may be advised to bring your child in for a dental appointment in the next few days; or, you may be given instructions on how to care for his healing mouth. It is important that you follow doctor’s orders either way so that your child can get on the fast track to feeling better.
Though you would like to have super powers that could keep your child from ever getting hurt, accidents do happen. With the help of an experienced dentist, however, you can ensure that at the end of the day, your child will be just fine.
*Disclaimer: The information on this website is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your healthcare provider. We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care with an appropriate healthcare provider.