Falls, sports injuries, sudden toothaches. Dental emergencies don't wait for business hours, and neither do we. If your child has a dental emergency, call our office immediately. A dedicated after-hours emergency line is available to all of our patients.

What counts as a dental emergency?

• A knocked-out tooth (baby or permanent)

• A cracked, chipped, or broken tooth

• Severe toothache or swelling

• Injury to the gums, lips, or jaw

• A tooth that's been pushed out of position

• An object stuck between teeth that you can't remove

What to do right now

• Knocked-out permanent tooth: Find the tooth, hold it by the crown (not the root), gently rinse if dirty, and try to place it back in the socket. If that's not possible, put it in a glass of milk. Time matters, so call us immediately.

• Knocked-out baby tooth: Don't try to reimplant it. Apply gentle pressure with clean gauze if there's bleeding, and call our office. We'll assess whether any follow-up is needed.

• Toothache: Rinse with warm salt water. You can give your child an age-appropriate dose of acetaminophen (Tylenol) for pain. Avoid aspirin and don't place it on the gums. Call us to schedule an appointment.

• Chipped or broken tooth: Rinse the mouth with warm water and save any pieces. Apply a cold compress to reduce swelling. Call us, because even a small chip should be evaluated.

A calm voice when you need it

We understand that dental emergencies are stressful, especially when it's your child. When you call, we'll walk you through exactly what to do, help you determine the urgency, and get your child seen as quickly as possible.