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Emergency Pediatric Dentist – Clinton, MA

Quickly Assisting Your Child’s Compromised Smile

No one can anticipate a dental emergency—these scenarios have a knack for occurring not just when you least expect them to, but also when it’s seemingly the least convenient. But when it happens to your child, things can really seem scary. That’s why here at Simply Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics, we pride ourselves on being able to quickly address all types of pediatric dental emergencies in the Clinton, MA area and get your child back to looking and feeling like their best self. If your little one is dealing with a painful oral situation, don’t hesitate to contact us right away!

Why Choose Simply Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics for Children’s Emergency Dental Care?

  • Same-Day Emergency Appointments Available
  • Friendly & Experienced Dental Team
  • Sedation Options Available for Optimal Comfort

What To Do During a Dental Emergency

a child experiencing oral pain

If your child is experiencing a dental emergency, perhaps the best thing you can do is stay calm; keeping a cool composure will encourage your little one to do the same! It’s also advisable to promptly follow these three steps:

  1. Call Our Office – You shouldn’t leave anything to chance concerning your little one’s smile; don’t hesitate to call our office when your child has suffered a dental emergency. We’ll let you know when (and if) they need to come in, and we’ll also provide you with steps to take before your appointment (such as utilizing saltwater rinses, cold compresses, or over-the-counter pain relievers).
  2. Schedule & Attend Your Visit – Our team is second to none when it comes to handling pediatric dental emergencies, so be sure that once your visit has been scheduled, you show up! After examining your child’s mouth, we can begin addressing the issue.
  3. Get Your Child the Help They Need – Once we’ve had the chance to determine what’s wrong and prescribe appropriate treatment, you can rest assured that your little one’s smile won’t be hurting any longer and that their pearly whites aren’t in any long-term jeopardy.

The Most Common Pediatric Dental Emergencies

No two emergencies are the same—and when it comes to pediatric dental emergencies, there’s quite a bit of variance. Sometimes the problem is obvious and even painful, such as a chipped, cracked, or displaced tooth. Other times, it might be clear that something is wrong, but you might not be sure what exactly is going on. Regardless of what you think might be going on, we strongly encourage you to give us a call in these instances so that you’re not leaving anything up to chance. Below are a few examples of some common pediatric dental emergencies and how we’re able to provide assistance:

Understanding the Cost of Pediatric Dental Emergencies

a child being treated by their emergency pediatric dentist

The bottom line is that there’s no universal standard cost for receiving emergency pediatric dental care—the price you pay is always going to depend on the nature/severity of your child’s situation. However, upon examining your child’s smile (via a relatively inexpensive and noninvasive emergency exam), we’ll be able to provide you with an accurate cost estimate. We’re also happy to work with you to ensure that you’re taking full advantage of your dental insurance benefits, if applicable..

Why Every Dental Emergency is Different

Child with curly hair smiling in dental chair

Every dental emergency is different because every situation is different! While one child might be coming in because of a painful toothache, the next might be coming in because they completely knocked-out a tooth. Naturally, these two dental injuries can’t be treated the same way, which is why we need to conduct an oral exam, assess the severity of the damage, and create a custom treatment plan. Don’t worry – we will always provide transparent pricing, and our friendly team will be there to answer any questions you have about the cost.

Does Dental Insurance Cover Pediatric Dental Emergencies?

Dental insurance form on computer screen in office

Sometimes! For example, it’s quite common for dental insurance providers to cover between 50% and 80% of the cost of essential restorative care, like a tooth-colored filling or dental crown. Since annual deductibles, yearly maximums, and the like need to be considered, it’s always a good idea to familiarize yourself with your child’s benefits. Of course, if you need help along the way, you can always give our Clinton pediatric dental team a call!

Other Options for Making Dental Emergencies Affordable

Dental assistant smiling while handing patient form

The good news is that dental insurance isn’t the only way to make the cost of pediatric emergency dentistry more affordable. At Simply Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics, we also are happy to accept flexible financing with LendingPoint. As a result, you can break down the price of your child’s care into smaller, more manageable chunks. We also offer periodic specials, which can lower your out-of-pocket expenses as well!

How Taking Care Of Your Child’s Smile Can Save You Money

Smiling child giving thumbs up to camera

Although some dental injuries aren’t avoidable, many are. For example, wearing a mouthguard can dramatically reduce the chances of your child harming their smile during sports. In other words, for the sake of your child’s oral health and your wallet, it’s important to prioritize preventive care. That includes brushing and flossing consistently at home and extends to getting a checkup and cleaning every six months. During these routine appointments, we’ll provide you with specific pointers and recommendations on how to keep your child’s smile in tip-top shape between visits too.

How to Prevent Pediatric Dental Emergencies

Child with pigtails smiling while giving pediatric dentist high-five

Even though you can always count on our pediatric dental team in Clinton to step in and assist your child with any type of dental emergency they might be experiencing, the best thing you can do for your little one is to help them avoid these situations entirely! Although accidents can happen, a few simple precautions coupled with good habits can go quite a long way. That’s why we recommend the following:

Schedule a Checkup and Cleaning Every Six Months

Pediatric dentist placing bib over smiling child in treatment chair

Routine visits to our pediatric dental office in Clinton are essential for your child’s oral health. Plus, these appointments help prevent serious smile-related injuries too! For example, we can catch tooth decay in the early stages during their biannual exams – long before it results in a painful toothache that warrants a same-day visit to our office for treatment.

Encourage Your Child to Brush and Floss Regularly

Young girl looking at camera while eating lunch at school

Of course, keeping your child’s teeth and gums healthy also requires a consistent oral hygiene regimen, starting with brushing each morning and evening. When they are young, their fine motor skills are still developing, so be sure to help them if they require assistance! It’s also imperative that you use the right oral hygiene tools, like a child-sized toothbrush.

Help Your Child Maintain a Healthy Diet

Closeup of child wearing blue mouthguard

Maintaining a healthy diet benefits your child’s oral and overall health! So, make sure to fill their plates and lunchboxes with plenty of healthy fruits and veggies. It’s also important to encourage them to drink water throughout the day. This will keep them hydrated and rinse away food particles from their teeth. Lastly, do your best to keep their consumption of added sugar to a minimum.

Make Sure They Wear a Mouthguard During Sports

Closeup of child sucking their thumb

You wouldn’t let your child play football without a helmet, right? For the same reason, they shouldn’t participate in sports without a mouthguard. In fact, children who participate in non-contact sports, like skateboarding, are also encouraged to wear one to protect their teeth and gums in case they accidentally fall.

Redirect Unhealthy Habits

Closeup of child sucking their thumb

Does your child suck their thumb? Do they bite their nails? Do they chew on the back of their pencil or pen? These are all unhealthy habits that can chip, crack, or fracture their teeth. If your child is old enough, simply explaining the risks may be enough to discourage these behaviors. If they are still quite young, then redirecting them to a different activity may be easier. 

Pediatric Dental Emergency FAQs

Child in white shirt struggling with toothache at home

With good oral care habits in place – like brushing twice a day, wearing a mouthguard during sports, and getting a checkup and cleaning every six months – your child may never experience a dental emergency. Of course, it’s always a good idea to be prepared. For that reason, we’ve dedicated this next section to answering FAQs!

Are knocked-out baby teeth a dental emergency?

Since baby teeth are meant to come out, you might be wondering if you should call us if your child knocks one out while playing on the playground or participating in sports. That depends! For example, if one of their teeth is knocked out too soon or their surrounding teeth were damaged in the process, then you should absolutely call our Clinton pediatric dental team right away. If, on the other hand, the tooth was already loose, your child isn’t in pain, and their teeth and gums seem to be perfectly fine, then you should be safe closely monitoring their symptoms over the next couple of days.

Should I bring my child to the emergency room first for dental emergencies?

If your child fractured their jaw, they are having trouble swallowing, their face is extremely swollen, or they are experiencing any other potentially life-threatening symptoms, then you should take them to the ER. With that said, their dentist can handle most other dental injuries (i.e., bleeding gums, toothaches, knocked-out teeth).

What should I keep in my emergency dentistry kit?

Just like it’s helpful to have a first-aid kit when your child scrapes their knee, it’s helpful to have an emergency dental kit when your child sustains a dental injury! We recommend that parents keep the following on-hand:

  • Small storage container for teeth or restorations
  • Sterile gloves (ideally nitrile)
  • Gauze pads and dressings
  • Cotton balls
  • Dental cement (or other temporary filling material)
  • Petroleum jelly
  • Anti-inflammatories, such as ibuprofen
  • Topical anesthetic such as Orajel or a similar product
  • Floss
  • Ice pack

Do chipped teeth heal?

Unfortunately, a chipped tooth cannot heal on its own. Don’t worry – that doesn’t mean your child has to deal with this dental imperfection for the rest of their life. Quite the opposite! With treatments like metal-free restorations and dental bonding, we can restore the missing structure of their tooth in a durable and lifelike way.

How can I help my child with tooth pain sleep?

Have you ever noticed that toothaches seem to get worse at night? That’s largely due to the fact that blood rushes to your head when you lie down. With that said, one of the easiest ways to keep your child comfortable while they sleep is by propping them up on a few pillows. Additionally, we recommend giving them soft foods at dinner and placing a cold compress against their cheek for 10 minutes at a time.

Toothache

Is My Child's Toothache a Dental Emergency? Toothaches are often the result of an untreated dental issue, like a cavity, which is why we encourage you to call our emergency dentist in Clinton right away. Over the phone, we can help you determine if your child needs to come in for same-day treatment or if they can wait a day or two for an appointment.

How You Should Handle Your Child's Toothache Fortunately, there are a few ways you can help ease your child’s discomfort, including giving them soft foods instead of pretzels, tortilla chips, and other crunchy foods. You can also give them a cold compress, which they can place against the outside of their cheek to temporarily numb the area and alleviate swelling. If all else fails, you can also give them a children’s OTC pain reliever to keep them comfortable until they visit our pediatric dentist.

How We Treat Toothaches in Children When your child arrives at our office, we will ask them a few questions to learn more about their symptoms. Then, we will conduct an oral exam and take X-rays. With all of this information, we will be able to determine what’s causing their toothache. Oftentimes, it’s an untreated cavity, which we may be able to treat with a tooth-colored filling or dental crown.

  LEARN MORE ABOUT TOOTH-COLORED FILLINGS

Cracked Tooth

Is My Child's Cracked Tooth a Dental Emergency? Yes, your child’s cracked tooth is a dental emergency! The now compromised tooth can split further and develop an infection, both of which can wreak havoc on their oral health.

Important note: it’s not always easy to spot a cracked tooth, so keep an eye out for common symptoms, like pain when biting down.

How You Should Handle Your Child's Cracked Tooth After calling our Clinton pediatric dental office and scheduling an appointment, have your child rinse with clean water to remove bacteria from their mouth. If they are hungry between now and their visit, make sure they don’t chew on that side of their mouth. If your child is in pain or scared, then do your best to help keep them calm and give them an OTC pain reliever as instructed until they arrive for treatment.

How We Treat Children's Cracked Teeth The treatment we recommend will depend on how severe the crack is. In most cases, we can restore your child’s damaged tooth with a dental crown. Since these restorations now come in a wide range of lifelike shades, we can treat your child’s tooth without calling attention to it – their dental crown will blend in seamlessly with the rest of their smile!

Chipped Tooth

Is My Child's Chipped Tooth a Dental Emergency? Did your child chip a tooth during a sports accident or when biting into something crunchy? Then you should absolutely call our Clinton dental team right away.

How You Should Handle Your Child's Chipped Tooth After assessing the damage and scheduling an appointment with us, have your child rinse their mouth with clean water. Then, use some dental wax or a piece of sugar-free gum to cover the tooth. This will ensure the soft tissue in their mouth is protected from injury until we treat the tooth.

How We Treat Children's Chipped Teeth Of course, multiple factors need to be considered when deciding how to treat your child’s tooth, from the location of the tooth to the size of the chip. With that being said, this dental injury can most often be treated with cosmetic dental bonding – a quick and

Knocked-Out Permanent Tooth  

Is A Knocked-Out Permanent Tooth a Dental Emergency? Yes, it is! For our Clinton pediatric dentist to have the highest chance of saving your child’s tooth, you must bring them to our office within 60 minutes of the incident. That’s why we encourage parents to call us ASAP. We’ll start preparing for your child’s appointment right away and provide you with helpful tips on what to do until you arrive.

How You Should Handle a Knocked-Out Permanent Tooth It’s of the utmost importance that you handle the knocked-out tooth with extreme caution. After helping your child calm down and reminding them that you’re going to get them the help they need, pick up the tooth by the crown, rinse it off carefully with water, and place it back in the socket (if it slides back in without force). To preserve the root, you can also submerge the tooth in a container filled with milk.

How We Treat Knocked-Out Permanent Teeth Our goal first and foremost is always to save your child’s natural teeth. If the knocked-out tooth is in good condition and your child arrives for treatment within 60 minutes, there’s a good chance we can! If we can’t, don’t worry – we can use a dental bridge, space maintainer, or dental implant to prevent the look and function of their smile from being negatively impacted.

Knocked-Out Baby Tooth  

Is a Knocked-Out Baby Tooth a Dental Emergency? Although your child’s baby teeth are supposed to fall out, it can pose a problem if they fall out too soon. If one of their teeth falls out prematurely, then you should call our Clinton dental team as soon as you can. That way, we can make sure their surrounding teeth (as well as their underlying permanent tooth) are okay.

How You Should Handle a Knocked-Out Baby Tooth Unlike knocked-out permanent teeth, we don’t recommend placing your child’s baby tooth back in its socket. Instead, have your child gently rinse their mouth with water before managing any bleeding with a damp washcloth or tissue. From there, we recommend using a cold compress to minimize swelling, having your child stick to soft foods, and, if necessary, giving them a children’s OTC pain reliever.

How We Treat Knocked-Out Baby Teeth To determine the answer, we need to first evaluate the damage. In some cases, all that’s needed are some light repairs to the surrounding teeth. In other cases, we will need to use a space maintainer to prevent their surrounding teeth from moving out of position, negatively impacting your child’s bite in the process.

Bitten Tongue, Lip, or Cheek  

Is a Bitten Tongue, Lip, or Cheek an Emergency? Although soft tissue injuries can produce a lot of blood, they don’t usually require same-day treatment from our Clinton pediatric dentist. With that said, we do recommend taking your child to the ER if the cut continues to bleed after 10 minutes of applying pressure.

How You Should Handle Your Child's Soft Tissue Injury In most cases, these dental injuries can be handled at home with two easy steps: rinsing the cut thoroughly with lukewarm water and applying pressure to it with a damp washcloth. Once the bleeding has stopped, then you can give your child a cold compress, which will alleviate uncomfortable swelling and prevent them from hurting the same spot again.

How We Treat Soft Tissue Injuries in Children As a parent, it’s important to trust your instincts. If you are concerned about your child’s injury, then you’re more than welcome to give us a call so we can answer any questions you have and provide you with our recommendations on what to do next.

Dental Concussion  

Is My Child's Dental Concussion an Emergency? When a tooth has been shoved out of place, but it’s not completely knocked-out, then it’s referred to as a “dental concussion,” and it’s absolutely a dental emergency. So, don’t hesitate to contact our Clinton pediatric dental team to schedule an appointment and get detailed instructions on what to do in the meantime.

How You Should Handle Your Child's Dental Concussion First, have your child take a few deep breaths if they feel overwhelmed or stressed. Then, ask them to gently rinse their mouth with clean, room-temperature water. To ease swelling and discomfort until their appointment, you can give them a cold compress or an over-the-counter pain reliever. Do your best to make sure they don’t wiggle their tooth with their tongue or finger either.

How We Treat Dental Concussions in Children There are some cases where slightly concussed teeth can straighten out over time. However, intervening with a dental splint, root canal treatment, or orthodontics is more common. If the damage is severe, then an extraction may be recommended instead. Ultimately, our recommendation will depend on what we find during the X-ray and exam.

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Sensitive Teeth  

Are My Child's Sensitive Teeth an Emergency? Some dental sensitivity is normal, like when your child bites into a scoop of ice cream. If, however, they are consistently experiencing this sensation, then it may be because of a cavity or another untreated oral health issue.

How You Should Handle Your Child's Sensitive Teeth First, schedule an appointment with our Clinton pediatric dentist if their dental sensitivity persists for more than 24 hours. In the meantime, do what you can at home to keep them comfortable, like not giving them hot or cold foods and drinks.

How We Treat Sensitive Teeth in Children After conducting an oral exam and taking X-rays, we’ll pinpoint the root of your child’s dental sensitivity as well as how severe it is. If it’s stemming from an untreated cavity, then we can intervene with the necessary restorative care, like a tooth-colored filling.

LEARN MORE ABOUT TOOTH-COLORED FILLINGS

Lost Fillings or Crowns  

Is My Child's Lost Filling or Crown an Emergency? Yes, especially since their tooth is now vulnerable to chips, cracks, fractures, and the like. So, even if the filling they lost was small, you should schedule a time for them to visit our Clinton pediatric dentist.

How You Should Handle Your Child's Lost Filling or Crown We recommend having your child gently rinse their mouth with clean, room-temperature water to prevent bacteria from collecting on their tooth. If you have their filling or crown, you can also store it in a small container and bring it with you to their appointment.

How We Treat Lost Fillings or Crowns in Children Typically, we recommend replacing the old restoration with a new one. However, there are some exceptions, like when a dental crown is still partially intact. As always, we will review all of the treatment options available before beginning your child’s treatment.

Something Stuck Between the Teeth  

Is Having Something Stuck Between My Child's Teeth an Emergency? Usually, something stuck between your child’s teeth doesn’t warrant a same-day visit to our Clinton pediatric dental office. Of course, if you’ve tried carefully removing the debris but it remains firmly lodged in place, then you can definitely reach out to us to schedule an appointment.

How You Should Handle Something Stuck Between Your Child's Teeth First, we don’t recommend using tweezers, toothpicks, or any other sharp objects. Instead, dissolve some salt in warm water and have your child gently swish the mixture around in their mouth. Then, use some floss to gently clean between their teeth.