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Emergencies

Dr. Vickie is available 24/7 and takes care of all dental emergencies promptly before or after regular business hours.

If your child needs emergency treatment, please call us as early in the day as possible
916-941-2341
for an emergency appointment.

There are a few things a parent can do to evaluate the emergency and make your child more comfortable:

FIRST
Stay calm.
Injuries to the mouth, face and teeth happen frequently in children. Remaining calm and taking prompt action will help minimize the damaging effects of the injury, and lessen your child's discomfort.

SECOND
Assess whether or not you child's injury involved hitting the head causing them to lose consciousness even for a brief moment. If this is the case, your child should see a physician immediately. Worry about the mouth and teeth later.

THIRD
Try to stop any bleeding with a clean washcloth or gauze. As you do this, check for broken teeth and/or missing teeth. If there are missing teeth, look for them.

For information on what you can do for the following dental emergencies, click on the links below:

Knocked Out Tooth

Bitten Tongue, Lip or Cheek

Possible Broken Jaw

Objects Caught Between Teeth

Bleeding After a Baby Tooth Falls Out

Cold or Canker Sores

Broken Braces and Wires

Gently clean or rinse dirt from the area around the break. Place a cold compress on the face in the area of the broken tooth to minimize lip or facial swelling. Locate and save any broken tooth fragments. If the fracture is more than one-half of the tooth, see Dr. Vickie immediately.

Knocked Out Tooth


	For permanent teeth - Find the tooth. Handle the tooth by the crown, not root. If the tooth is dirty, gently rinse it in cold water, but DO NOT scrub or handle the root unnecessarily. Inspect the tooth for fractures. If it is sound, try to replace the tooth into the socket. Have the child hold the tooth in place by biting on a gauze pad or washcloth. If it is not possible to replace the tooth, place the tooth in a cup containing the patient's saliva, or if this is not available, cool water or milk. Call Dr. Vickie's office immediately. Time is critical for saving the tooth, less than 30 minutes is the best. For primary (baby) teeth - Baby teeth are not re-implanted. Call Dr. Vickie. Chances are, the tooth fairy will just be at work prematurely. Top

Toothaches


	Clean the area around the tooth thoroughly. Rinse the mouth vigorously with warm water (or salt water) and use dental floss to remove any trapped food between the teeth. DO NOT place aspirin on the gums or aching tooth. This will burn the gum tissues. If there is swelling, apply a cold compress to the outside of the face. Take acetaminophen or ibuprofen for pain. Call Dr. Vickie. Top


	If there is bleeding on the lips, tongue or cheek due to a bite or cut, apply gentle pressure with a clean cloth or gauze. Apply an ice compress to the injured area. If bleeding does not stop after 15 minutes, or it cannot be controlled by simple pressure, go to a hospital emergency room. Top


	Do not move the jaw. Stabilize the jaw by tying a towel, necktie, etc., over the top of the head. Apply cold compresses. Go to the hospital emergency room immediately. Top

Objects


	Try to remove the object with dental floss. You may tie one or two small knots in the floss to help remove the debris. Do not use a sharp metal object. If you cannot remove it, go to the dentist. Top

Bleeding


	Fold a gauze pad or clean washcloth over the bleeding area. Keep it in place for 15 minutes, then repeat as necessary. Top


	Some children will get these periodically. Placing vitamin e oil over the area, or other over the counter medications will usually give symptomatic relief. Many serious systemic and oral diseases mimic or begin as sores. Therefore, if they persist or are extreme, see Dr. Vickie at once. Top

Braces

If a broken appliance can be removed EASILY, take it out. If it cannot, cover the sharp or protruding portion with cotton balls, gauze or soft chewing gum. If a wire is stuck in the gum, cheek or tongue, DO NOT remove it. Take the patient to Dr. Vickie or the child's Orthodontist immediately. Asymptomatic loose or broken appliances do not usually require emergency attention.

Call us: 916-941-2341

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Philosophy

We believe that every child is precious and deserves to be treated with love and kindness.

Email us
drvickie@magicmsilesdds.com

Copyright 2005 Magic Smiles Dentistry for Children & Young Adults. All rights reserved