4 Common Pediatric Dental Emergencies

No one is ever prepared to handle a medical emergency, especially a child. For kids, an emergency can throw them off, causing a lot of panic and fear. It helps to be around them when such instances happen, so you can help them stay calm as you seek help.

Dental emergencies carry the same weight as many other health emergencies. When they happen, you need to find a dental expert who is proficient in handling oral emergencies, as well as attending to the oral needs of children.

What Is Emergency Dentistry?

It is a specialty of dentistry dedicated to treating and managing severe dental problems that are usually urgent. in essence, the dental problem you are facing demands immediate treatment.

One of the most important benefits of emergency dental care is that it helps mitigate the severity of oral problems, all while preventing progression and escalation thereof.

Understanding Pediatric Dental Emergencies

When kids have urgent oral problems that require immediate attention, the best dental experts to handle the issue are emergency pediatric dentists. Even though all dental emergencies are critical and should be treated with urgency, for children, they require a more delicate touch than adults would.

Emergency pediatric dentists are trained in the area of oral emergencies, as well as that of pediatric dental care.

Types of Pediatric Emergencies

Children are at a high risk of dental emergencies as they grow up. Their hyperactivity and poor oral health choices increase the risk of infections, injuries, and other oral problems that can result in emergencies. Some of the common pediatric oral emergencies are:

1. Foreign objects stuck between teeth – the objects can be of different materials and sizes. At a particular age in their life, kids tend to put almost everything in their mouths. This means that sticks, plastic materials, and other foreign objects can easily get caught up between their teeth. When the objects are large, they can be hard to dislodge without the assistance of a dental expert. The best effort you can try to handle the matter is to use dental floss to work around the object. However, you should avoid putting in any sharp objects, as they could do more harm than good.
2. Broken or missing tooth – as kids grow up, they engage in many high-contact games and activities. These can result in injuries in their mouth, breaking or knocking out their teeth. When either of these happens, you must consider rushing your child to the nearest emergency pediatric dental clinic for treatment. One of the reasons this will matter a lot is to alleviate pain and discomfort, as well as stop the bleeding that results from the accident.
3. Toothache – pain in any teeth is an indicator of tooth decay. Cavities and dental decays are common among children, mainly for their love of sugary foods as well as poor oral hygiene. A common dental emergency for kids includes throbbing tooth pain that may be accompanied by other signs like headaches, fever, body chills, swelling, and a rapid heart rate. Remember that children have a lower pain threshold than most adults, which is why you must rush them to an emergency dental clinic as soon as possible.
4. Allergic reactions – food allergies are very common among children. As your child gets into phases of eating different foods, you will not always know what is best for them until later. An allergic response to foods they eat can result in a dental emergency. This includes significant swelling of the tongue and face, difficulty breathing and talking, sore throat, to mention a few. If you were not aware of your child’s allergies, it is necessary to talk to your doctor about it, to ensure you make the right meal choices in the future.

Benefits of Pediatric Dental Care for Emergencies

1. Preventing future reoccurrence of suchlike dental emergencies.
2. Saving teeth – you will find this particularly helpful as a parent if the teeth in question are permanent.
3. Child-friendly services – during dental emergencies, it is expected that children are very frightened and nervous. In that case, you would want to work with a dentist that is friendly to your child even in the sight of an urgent dental problem.
4. Pain alleviation – children do not handle pain very well, which is why it can make them very irritable. You need pediatric dentists for emergencies to attend to such a child, as they are well trained to handle uncomfortable situations with children while providing pain management medications.