Instagram Facebook Google
Book an Appointment

Dental Emeregencies

If your child is experiencing a dental emergency, please contact us at 317-329-7373. If your child is in severe pain, visit a 24/7 emergency office right away if we unavailable to assist you.

Knowing how to handle a dental emergency can mean the difference between saving and losing your child’s permanent tooth. At Tiny Tooth Village, we want you to be prepared, so we’ve outlined below some tips to follow in case of a dental emergency.

Use the link at right if you would like to download and print our Tips to Follow in an Emergency to tack on your refrigerator, or store near your emergency phone numbers for easy reference.
Download Tips

What to do in a dental emergency

Bit Lip or Tongue

If your child has bitten his/her lip or tongue severe enough to cause bleeding, clean the bite gently with water and use a cold compress (a cold, wet towel or washcloth pressed firmly against the area) to reduce or avoid swelling. Give us a call to help determine how serious the bite is.

If your child has something caught between his or her teeth, use dental floss to gently remove it. Never use a metal, plastic, or sharp tool to remove a stuck object. If you are unable to remove the item with dental floss, give us a call.
If your child has chipped or broken off a piece of a tooth, rinse his/her mouth with warm water, then use a cold compress to reduce swelling. Try to locate and save the tooth fragment that broke off. Call us immediately.
If your child’s tooth has been knocked out, find the tooth and rinse it with water (no soap), taking care to only touch the crown of the tooth (the part you can see when it’s in place). Place the tooth in a clean container with milk. Call us immediately and/or head to the hospital. If you act quickly it’s possible to save the tooth.
If your child has a very loose tooth, it should be removed to avoid being swallowed or inhaled.
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. Children’s pain relievers may be taken orally. Schedule an appointment immediately.
If you know or suspect your child has sustained a broken jaw, use a cold compress to reduce swelling. Call our emergency number and/or head to the hospital immediately. In many cases a broken jaw is the result of a blow to the head. Severe blows to the head can be dangerous and even life-threatening.

Help your child avoid dental emergencies. 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 seat belts for older children. And if your child plays contact sports, have him or her wear a mouth guard. Ask us about creating a custom-fitted mouth guard for your child. Finally, prevent toothaches with regular brushing, flossing, and visits to our office.