Knowing the signs can help you determine if your child needs emergency dental care.

We teach our kids to brush thoroughly, floss daily, and keep the sticky sweets to a minimum, but sometimes dental emergencies arise in spite of our great oral hygiene.

Under the current circumstances, dental practices nationwide are closed for regular appointments but are open for emergency dental care. The problem is it’s not always easy to determine what constitutes a dental emergency.

At We Make Kids Smile, our dentists want to make sure families everywhere know how to address dental issues at home and when to make an emergency dental appointment.

Read on to learn more about the symptoms of a dental emergency, what they might mean, and what you can do about them.

1. Chipped or Cracked Teeth

It’s not uncommon for kids to chip or crack their teeth in a fall. It may not even cause them any pain; however, this may constitute a dental emergency because, if left unattended, the breakage could get worse.

If your child has a clean chip across the top corner or corners of a tooth and it isn’t noticeable, it may be okay. Keep an eye on it and be sure to point it out to your dentist at your next appointment.

However, if there is a crack, especially one that runs diagonally or vertically across the tooth, you should seek emergency dental care. This crack may deepen, bringing it closer to the root of the tooth and causing pain or structural damage.

2. Tooth Pain OTC Medicine Can’t Alleviate

If your child mentions pain in their teeth or jaw, consider giving them child-safe ibuprofen. If this doesn’t clear up or lessen the pain after a few hours, you may want to call your dentist and set up an emergency appointment.

Severe tooth pain can indicate a number of things, such as decay or root damage. Your dentist may need to fill a cavity or, if the tooth is not permanent, remove the tooth to alleviate the pain.

Remind your kiddo that getting a cavity filled is nothing to fear! Many kids (42% to be exact) develop their first cavity between the ages of two and 11 and find that fillings are no big deal.

3. Recurring Jaw Pain

A lot of times, jaw pain isn’t caused by a serious disease; however, it’s still uncomfortable to live with, and your dentist can help!

If your child mentions jaw pain and has difficulty chewing or opening their mouth to yawn or take big bites, they may be clenching their jaw a lot. Many of us do this in our sleep. To address this problem, dentists can have a special bite guard made that is safe to wear while sleeping and allows the jaw to relax!

4. Knocked-Out Adult Teeth

It’s one thing to lose a baby tooth that has been wiggling around for a few days. It’s another to lose an adult tooth that we hope will last us for a lifetime!

If an adult tooth gets knocked out, make sure to hold it by the crown without touching the root. Rinse it off with water and see if you can place it back in the socket. If you can’t, toss it in a glass of milk.

Then, give your dentist a call. Hopefully, we can reinsert the tooth and no one will ever know the difference. If not, we’ll make your kid a new tooth, and guess what, no one will ever know the difference!

5. Excessive Bleeding of the Gums

Is there a bit of pink in the sink after brushing and flossing? A little bit isn’t an emergency, but it is a sign that extra special attention should be given to that sticky plaque around the gums. A lot of bleeding, however, constitutes a dental emergency.

Excessive bleeding tends to indicate an infection that may require antibiotics. Try to clean the bleeding areas and apply pressure with a damp paper towel or rag. Then, call your dentist and set up your emergency dental procedure.

6. Jaw Swelling

If your kiddo takes a tumble and experiences jaw swelling afterward, they may have dislocated or even broken their jaw. This swelling is often accompanied by bruising.

If it’s broken, the pain may be pretty severe, but you’d be surprised at the pain tolerance of kids who dislocate their jaw! They may have difficulty opening or closing their mouths, chewing, and talking, even if the pain is relatively mild.

Needless to say, a dislocated or broken jaw calls for an emergency trip to the dentist.

7. Pus or Swelling Around a Specific Tooth

Sometimes tooth pain is accompanied by a few other symptoms that make it easier to identify. When the tooth in question is surrounded by pus or swelling, there’s a good chance the tooth is abscessed and needs to be addressed with minor surgery.

Fortunately, most little ones don’t get abscesses. Those who are more at risk are the ones who are differently-abled and have trouble with brushing and those who have experienced dental trauma or pulpotomies in the past.

Where can I find emergency dental care near me?

If any of these symptoms are ringing a bell, you may be looking for emergency dental care near you. If you’re in Southern Maryland, the pediatric dentists at We Make Kids Smile are here to help!

Dr. Aguto, Dr. Elrafei, Dr. Abdel-rahim, Dr. Baptiste, and Dr. Simhi are available to provide emergency dental care even when many services are temporarily shut down. Visit our appointment page and find the phone number for your office. Call to receive further instructions on how to schedule an emergency dental care appointment today!