Preparing for Dental Emergencies as a Parent

It is important to ensure the safety of your child as a parent and one aspect of this is being prepared for any dental emergencies that can occur. Having a plan in place can be ensuring and it will help you manage the situation so that your child will not be in distress.

You need to know what a dental emergency is and how to be prepared for these.

Some common dental emergencies are knocked out teeth, toothaches, chipped or broken teeth, soft tissue injuries, dental abscesses and loose teeth. You need to identify the emergency so that you can respond to it accordingly. You need to have a contact number of an emergency dentist Cleveland so that you can call the clinic right away to make an emergency appointment. This will also be helpful if you are unsure of what to do as they can guide you in the situation. You need to have a dental emergency kit at hand so that you can quickly respond to an emergency. This should have gauze pads so that you can control bleeding, saline solution or clean water to rinse the mouth and a small container with a secure lid so that you can store a knocked out tooth. Make sure to pack the kit with orthodontic wax that can be used to cover broken wires or braces and over-the-counter pain relievers that are suitable for children. There should be an ice pack that you can use to reduce swelling as well.

Prevention is always the first choice.

You need to make sure that your child is wearing a mouthguard when it comes to contact sports so that their teeth can be protected. You need to educate them about why they need to avoid hard food like ice and hard candies. These can chip or break teeth. Good oral hygiene practices should start in childhood. You can start when your child’s first tooth comes or when they turn one year old. Even before this, you can wipe their gums with a clean cloth or gauze. The children should be taught how to brush and floss properly. A toothache is a common experience for many children. And if your child is complaining of a toothache, you can start by rinsing their mouth with warm salt water. This will clean the area. Dental floss can be used to remove any food particles that are causing pain. You can also use over-the-coutner pain relievers to manage the pain.

If your child’s tooth gets knocked out,

You need to retrieve it by the crown and rinse it with water f it is dirty. You can try inserting it back into the socket and have your child bite down on a piece of clean cloth. But if reinsertion is not possible, you will need to store the tooth in a container of milk or saline solution and go to the nearest emergency dental clinic. Time is of the essence so make sure to do this within the first 30 minutes to an hour. If a tooth is broken or chipped, warm water can be used to rinse the mouth and clean the area. The swelling can be managed with a cold compress to the outside of the mouth. Broken pieces can be stored in a container of milk and you will need to put an emergency dental appointment right away.