Having a primary pediatric dentist in Nashville, TN is essential for all children. Pediatric dentistry differs greatly from general dentistry. A pediatric dentist, or kids dentist, receives extra training specific to working with children in the dental field.
They know how to properly handle and care for children of all ages while performing dental procedures. It’s also essential for your child to have an emergency pediatric dentist as well. It’s always a good idea to ask your child’s pediatric dentist if they offer dental emergency services as well.
What qualifies as a pediatric dental emergency? There are a few situations that’ll call for emergency dentistry for kids. Continue reading below to learn more!
1. Your Child Cracks, Chips, or Breaks a Tooth
Children love to run around and have fun. It’s not uncommon for them to have occasional injuries from time to time. Although scraped knees and small bruises are no emergency, a cracked, chipped, or broken tooth is.
If your child falls down and damages one of their teeth (even a baby one), then you need to schedule an emergency appointment with their emergency pediatric dentist. Once you contact their dentist and let them know what’s happened to their tooth, their dentist will fit them into the schedule immediately.
A damaged tooth could indicate damage to the nerve. X-rays will determine if there’s nerve damage or not and what the proper treatment method should be.
2. Your Child Has a Severe Toothache
There are a few different reasons why your child may be suffering from severe toothache. Remember, your child will lose and grow in teeth on a constant basis. Sometimes, a loose tooth or tooth growing in could cause pain.
However, there are other reasons that might cause such pain. For example, gum and pulpal abscesses will also cause pain. A cavity that’s hidden and growing in one of your child’s teeth will need to be treated as soon as possible.
3. Your Child’s Filling Came Out
Does your child have any fillings on their teeth? A filling might become loose or come out. If your child begins to suffer from severe tooth pain after losing a filling, then you’ll want to bring them to the emergency pediatric dentist quickly.
Without the filling, tissue in the tooth is now exposed and vulnerable to bacteria growth. As the infection worsens, so will the pain and discomfort. For this reason, contact their pediatric dentist immediately for an emergency appointment.
4. Your Child Has Tooth Displacement
Tooth displacement is when your child’s tooth is forced out of place but doesn’t come out completely. Some signs of tooth displacement are the following:
- a tooth that’s only partially in the socket
- a tooth that’s knocked into an odd angle
When this happens to a baby tooth, there’s not much to worry about. The problem will correct itself since the tooth would eventually come out on its own. If this happens to a permanent tooth, then you’ll want to contact their pediatric dentist as soon as possible.
Their dentist will be able to assess the tooth’s condition and come up with the best treatment plan.
5. Your Child Loses a Permanent Tooth
Losing a baby tooth will happen on a regular basis while your child’s still young. However, losing a permanent tooth requires immediate dental attention. Try your best to find the tooth and hold it by the end of the tooth, avoiding touching near the root.
Quickly place the tooth in a cup of milk or your child’s saliva until you can reach the pediatric dentist. Call your dentist as soon as possible for further directions. They’ll work your child into their schedule as an emergency appointment.
If the tooth can be reinserted quickly, then there’s a better chance of saving the tooth.
6. There’s Persistent Bleeding After Losing a Baby Tooth
Your child will lose their baby teeth throughout the first 12 years or so. Each time they lose a baby tooth, the area will slightly bleed. Once the initial blood is cleaned up, however, the area shouldn’t continue to bleed.
If there’s persistent bleeding, then you can fold up a piece of gauze and place it on the area. Have your child bite down on the gauze for about 15 minutes to help stop the bleeding. If the bleeding continues, then contact the pediatric emergency dentist.
7. Your Child’s Experiencing Wisdom Teeth Discomfort
Your child may begin to have signs of wisdom teeth coming in around the age of 17 years. If your child’s experiencing wisdom teeth discomfort, then you may want to contact their pediatric dentist. Their dentist will be able to help with pain management.
X-rays might also be taken to determine how the wisdom teeth are growing in and if they’ll need to be removed. Inflammation around a wisdom tooth growing in can cause severe pain. When the wisdom teeth are impacted, they can also cause pain among other teeth in the mouth being forced to move due to lack of space.
Have You Found a Pediatric Dentist in Nashville, TN?
Are you looking for a pediatric dentist in Nashville, TN, or the surrounding area? For a great pediatric dentist in Franklin, TN, or a Brentwood children’s dentist office, look no further.
The team at Brentwood Pediatric Dentistry works hard to ensure your child’s provided with a safe and comfortable environment. We look forward to helping with your child’s oral health and want your child to look forward to seeing us as well.
Are you ready to schedule an appointment? Click here to get started!