What Qualifies as a Pediatric Dental Emergency?

It is fairly common to experience some unexpected pain or sensitivity in the teeth, making it difficult to determine at what point the pain or discomfort warrants an emergency trip to the dentist. Generally speaking, if the dental issue is causing severe pain, is putting the integrity of a tooth at risk, won’t stop bleeding, or is likely a severe infection, the condition is considered to be an emergency. Traumatic injuries to the mouth, teeth, or jaw also justify a trip to an emergency dentist to ensure that all of the teeth are intact, as with any loose or lost teeth, as speedy treatment often means a higher chance of saving the teeth or preventing further pain. Any indications of an infection abscess or severe swelling in the face, mouth, or neck should be brought to an emergency dentist as quickly as possible.

Children will experience slightly different oral health problems as they continue to develop and grow which will become less frequent once they have become adults. The most common dental concern that is seen in children includes cavities, which often lead to pain and sometimes infections. Cavities are very common and are fairly easy to treat, but without treatment can lead to problems with speaking, eating, learning, and playing, which can cause serious developmental complications. Maintaining good oral health for children can affect all other aspects of their lives, as children with poor oral health will miss more school and will likely miss out on key aspects of development due to having to tend to their dental needs. Oral health is as essential for babies as it is at every other age, and babies who are just developing their baby teeth or school-aged children who are losing their baby teeth are more susceptible to suffering from oral infections which can quickly become complicated and severe conditions.

Even though it sounds counter-intuitive due to their lack of teeth, it is very important that as soon as babies start to show their first tooth, they start regularly visiting a pediatric dentist. Those initial baby teeth are even more susceptible to cavities than adult teeth, putting them at a risk for tooth decay very early on. Dental appointments for babies, toddlers, and young children will be a bit shorter than what we experience as adults but are essential in ensuring the healthy development of the teeth, gums, jaw, bite, and oral tissues as they grow and change. Additionally, starting good habits and exposing your children to dentists and these medical environments will ensure that they understand the importance of maintaining good oral health as they grow up and will help to make dentist offices and other medical environments more familiar and comfortable for them, further encouraging them to want to continue seeing the dentist without fear as they continue to age.

The most common pediatric dental emergencies typically involve those caused by trauma or falls that lead to loosened or lost teeth. This is less of a big deal when a baby tooth is loose or has fallen out, but if it is a primary or adult tooth, emergency dental services are essential in having the best chance at saving the natural tooth so long as the tooth is able to be recovered and sufficiently preserved until the visit with the dentist.

Children are also susceptible to incurring cracked, chipped, or fractured teeth which require immediate or emergency dental care in order to prevent damage to the pulp of the tooth and can occur due to trauma or poor oral hygiene. Infected baby teeth are also a common but urgent or emergency condition that should be treated as quickly as possible to prevent unnecessary severe pain and potential long-term harm as the abscess affects the child’s ability to eat and speak comfortably. If your child requires pediatric dental services, set up an appointment today via our online booking system or give us a call at your earliest convenience. We are conveniently located at 6030 S Land Park Dr, Sacramento, CA 95822. We serve patients from Sacramento CA, Lemon Hill CA, Pocket CA, Meadowview CA, Greenhaven CA, Hollywood Park CA, and surrounding areas.