Emergency Dentistry in Belmont, CA

If your child knocks out an adult/permanent tooth, this is a dental emergency and time is of essence in this situation. Try not to touch the root of the tooth—handle it by the crown, quickly rinse it clean if dirty (no more than 10 seconds) and replant it back into the socket right away while holding a gentle pressure, if possible and only if your child is old enough to not aspirate/swallow it. Alternatively, immediately store the tooth in Sav-A-Tooth Solution, cold milk or saliva; then call our office immediately. Avoid storing it in water or letting the tooth dry out.
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When a baby tooth is knocked out, please leave it out rather than putting it back. The priority is to minimize any damage to the developing permanent tooth underneath. You may gently clean your child's mouth and have him or her bite on a cold washcloth. Please call our office to follow up afterwards.
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Even though we do not recommend replanting any baby tooth, please try your best to locate the knocked-out baby tooth to ensure it was not aspirated by your child. Also, it helps get your child excited about the tooth fairy—we hear that the tooth fairy is extra generous with an unexpected tooth loss!

If your child knocks a tooth loose, displaces a tooth or chips a tooth, please avoid eating in the area and call our office as soon as possible, especially if it’s at risk of falling out and at risk for your young child to aspirate. If your child chips a permanent tooth, try to find the pieces of the tooth, apply a cold compress to the area and call our Belmont pediatric dentist to follow up.

If you notice facial swelling, a swollen cheek, or a pimple on the gum tissue, please call our office immediately. If your child’s facial swelling approaches the eye or is causing your child to have trouble breathing or have fevers, please call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room as soon as possible.

There are many potential causes of a toothache. Please call our office for an appointment, so we can better assist you and your child before the pain evolves into a complex oral health situation. In the meantime, your child can take an anti-inflammatory as directed to temporarily alleviate discomfort.

Sometimes the cement that holds a space maintainer in place can weaken and the space maintainer becomes loose. This is often caused by the consumption of sticky or hard food that dislodges the metal band. Regardless of the cause, once a space maintainer becomes loose it needs to be removed, cleaned, and re-cemented as soon as possible. If the space maintainer completely falls out at home, please save it and bring it to your appointment as it is custom-made to fit your child’s teeth.

If your child has suffered a head injury, lost consciousness, has severe facial swelling, or experienced any other life-threatening emergency, please call 911 or proceed to your nearest emergency room as soon as possible.