If you face a dental emergency, give our dentist a call immediately. If you need urgent treatment after hours, you can call our emergency number. We are always here to assist when your child’s dental health is at risk. Below are tips on dealing with urgent dental situations. You may want to display this list on your refrigerator or store it near your emergency phone numbers for easy reference.
If your child has bitten his lip or tongue severely 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 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 a piece off of his tooth, have him rinse his 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 of his mouth, 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 mouth with warm water and inspect his 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.
You can 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 wear a mouthguard. Ask us about creating a custom-fitted mouthguard for your child. Finally, prevent toothaches with regular brushing, flossing, and visits to our office.
Stay calm, but move fast. You have a 30-to-60-minute window to give us the best chance of saving the tooth.
Note: This is for adult teeth only. See Q6 if it's a baby tooth!
For most "tooth-only" issues, call us first. ERs generally aren't set up for dental work; they can provide pain relief, but they can't reimplant a tooth. Coming to Brookhurst Pediatric Dentistry ensures specialized care on the spot.
Go directly to the ER if:
If you aren't sure, give us a call! We’d much rather tell you it can wait than have your child sit in pain. Generally, these are "see us today" situations:
Minor chips without pain or loose baby teeth can usually wait for a regular appointment.
First, have them rinse with warm water and apply a cold compress to the cheek. If you find the tooth fragment, put it in milk and bring it with you.
How urgent is it?
Emergency: If the tooth is wobbly, very painful, or has a visible pink/red spot (exposed nerve). Call us for a same-day visit.
Non-Emergency: A tiny chip that doesn't hurt. We should still see them soon to smooth it out, but it can usually wait 24–48 hours.
A severe toothache usually indicates an infection or deep cavity. Call us at (714) 962-9302 to schedule an urgent visit.
In the meantime:
Important: Never put aspirin or numbing gels directly on the gums, as this can cause a chemical burn on the soft tissue.
No—never try to put a baby tooth back in. Replanting a baby tooth risks damaging the permanent adult tooth growing right underneath it.
While a missing baby tooth isn't as high-stakes as an adult tooth, you should still call us for a same-day checkup. We need to ensure no fragments were left behind and determine if a "space maintainer" is needed to keep the gap open for the future adult tooth. If you aren't sure if it was a baby or adult tooth, call us immediately!