Pediatric Dentistry Kahala provides emergency dentistry services for children and special-needs patients in Honolulu, HI. For more information or to access after-hours care, please call
.What Is Emergency Dentistry?
Active children are vulnerable to oral injuries like falls and sports accidents. Oral hygiene issues may also lead to problems with decay and infection.
Not every dental problem can wait for regular office hours. If your child is experiencing a dental emergency, don’t hesitate to call us immediately. Dental emergencies include:
- Severe toothache
- Knocked-out (avulsed) permanent or baby tooth
- Partially knocked-out tooth
- Broken or badly chipped tooth
- Lost or broken filling or crown, especially if causing severe discomfort
- Oral injury
- Infected tooth
Our caring dentists can help relieve your child’s discomfort, stabilize their teeth, and protect their long-term oral health.
How to Handle a Dental Emergency
Knocked Out Tooth
Your dentist cannot replace a baby tooth in its socket because it would damage the permanent tooth underneath. The dentist will want to see your child to ensure no damage to the adjacent teeth or underlying bone.
If your child loses a permanent tooth, the dentist may be able to save it if you follow these steps:
- Contact your pediatric dentist and/or seek immediate medical care as needed
- Control any bleeding by applying gentle pressure with clean gauze
- Make sure your child has no symptoms of damage to other organs (ie head injury, concussion, nausea, vomiting, etc).
- Find the tooth, holding it only by the crown
- Rinse it gently with lukewarm water; no soap
- Put the tooth in a small cup of cold milk *If you are comfortable replanting the tooth yourself, this is also an option.
- See your dentist within 30 to 60 minutes for the best chance of replanting the tooth
Chipped or Fractured Tooth
Falls and sports accidents are the most common causes of broken teeth. Rinse the child's mouth with water. If the child has swelling, use a cold compress to relieve discomfort. If you find the tooth fragment, keep it, put it in milk and bring it to your emergency appointment.
When to Seek Emergency Medical Care First
If your child experiences a serious or life-threatening emergency, please call 911 or visit your nearest emergency room immediately.
Since dental emergencies often involve the head or face, you should take your child to the nearest emergency room or call 911 if any of the following occurs:
- Trouble breathing
- Loss of consciousness
- Severe uncontrollable bleeding
- Possible broken jaw causing numbness/tingling and severe swelling
- Severe face swelling causing dizziness, nausea, vomiting, trouble breathing or blurred vision
Why Choose Pediatric Dentistry Kahala
Procedures Offered
Following are examples of our emergency services:
- Treating knocked-out teeth
- Dental infections and abscesses
- Broken or cracked teeth
- Lost or broken restorations
- Oral injuries
Frequently Asked Questions About Emergency Dentistry
What are the chances that a dentist can save a knocked-out permanent tooth?
What if my child breaks an adult tooth?
If my child feels uncomfortable before the appointment, what should I do?
Call Pediatric Dentistry Kahala
When your child needs emergency dental care, time is a vital factor.
We are here for you and your family. If your child needs emergency dental care, please call our Honolulu, HI, office at
. We look forward to helping your child feel better and protecting their oral health.