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By Appointment Only
By Appointment Only

Emergency Kid’s Dentist — Garland, TX

We’re Here When Your Little Ones Need Us Most

As any parent will tell you, children can be quite accident-prone no matter their age, and sometimes, it’s their teeth that pay the price. Also, even a minor dental problem can easily turn into a major one seemingly overnight. In either situation, getting the appropriate care quickly is essential to relieving your child’s discomfort and saving their smile. What should you do when the unexpected happens to your child’s teeth? Simple: just  give Shiny Smiles Pediatric Dentistry a call .

Dr. Lily has years of experience handling a wide variety of dental emergencies. When you call in with one, we’ll work you into our schedule so we can see your child as soon as possible. We’re often able to provide same-day care! We’ll also do everything we can to help comfort your child so everyone can feel more relaxed despite the situation. We’ll do what we can to get them out of pain, and if time allows, we’ll even provide necessary restorative treatment. If we can’t get everything done in a single sitting, we’ll be sure to schedule a quick follow-up!

Why Choose Shiny Smiles Pediatric Dentistry for Children’s Emergency Dental Care?

  • #1 Compassionate Board-Certified Pediatric Dentist
  • #2 Same-Day Emergency Dental Appointments Available
  • #3 Friendly Team with Years of Experience

What to Do in a Dental Emergency

Little girl needs to see a Garland children’s emergency dentist

If your little one experiences a dental emergency, don’t panic! While this is certainly easier said than done, it’s crucial to keep cool so you can act quickly and correctly in your child’s time of need. Take a deep breath and follow these easy steps:

  • Step 1: Call us as soon as you can! The sooner you can get in touch with our office, the sooner we can schedule an appointment for you. We often are able to see emergency patients the same day they call us!
  • Step 2: Follow our over-the-phone directions. Once we’ve schedule your appointment, an experienced team member will walk you through what to do to manage your child’s situation until you can reach us.
  • Step 3: See Dr. Lily for an emergency exam. Your children’s emergency dentist in Garland Dr. Lily will see you and your child as soon as you arrive, focusing on alleviating pain while evaluating your little one’s smile.
  • Step 4: Review the findings and make a plan. Lily will review her findings with you and fully explain which treatment or treatments she recommends moving forward with. Together, you’ll make a custom treatment plan that works best for your family’s situation.
  • Step 5: Get the fast, gentle care your child needs. If possible, we’ll begin treating your child right away, whether that’s with a deep cleaning, filling, crown, or something else entirely. We’ll also be sure to schedule any important follow-up appointments if needed!

The Most Common Dental Emergencies

If your child has suffered a severe blow to the head, or possibly has a broken/fractured jaw, please take them to the emergency room or call a doctor before contacting your pediatric dentist. In practically all other situations, you should contact us right away for the care your child needs. Dental emergencies come in all shapes and sizes, but it’s important to keep in mind that teeth cannot heal themselves. Waiting to see if your child’s symptoms go away on their own could allow the issue to get worse, so give us a call even if you’re unsure if they need urgent treatment. Some of the most common emergencies we treat include the following:

How to Prevent Dental Emergencies

Smiling boy after children’s toothache treatment in Garland

As a parent, you know that accidents and mistakes with your child can happen unexpectedly, even if you take proper precautions. It’s part of the learning process! However, you should still try to protect their dental health. In other words, you can spare yourself and your little one pain, trouble, and cost by avoiding some dental emergencies entirely. With just a few simple steps, you can help your child’s smile stay strong and prevent unnecessary damage.

Visit Your Pediatric Dentist Regularly

girl brushing her teeth to prevent kids toothache in Garland

There’s a reason why we recommend coming in for a checkup and cleaning appointment every six months. Bringing your child in for regular dental appointments will enable your pediatric dentist in Garland, Dr. Lily, to catch and fix a small problem before it can turn into an emergency later. It also allows us to remove stubborn plaque so that cavities or other issues don’t develop in the future.

Maintain Good Oral Hygiene Habits at Home

Child eating watermelon to prevent children’s dental emergencies in Garland

Make caring for their smile an integral part of your child’s routine. They should be brushing and flossing every day to remove bacteria and plaque from their teeth. These small habits can make a huge difference in stopping tooth decay, gum disease, and other dental problems before they harm your child’s smile.

Stick to a Nutritious Diet

Little boy holding mouthguard to prevent kid’s cracked tooth in Garland

The foods and drinks your child consumes has an effect on their dental health. Try to limit their sugar and starch intake because these can actually promote bacterial growth in their mouth. Instead of juice, have your child drink water, which naturally neutralizes decay-causing acids and washes away bacteria.

Protect Those Pearly Whites with a Mouthguard

Chil

Make sure your child wears a protective mouthguard if they play any kind of sport, contact or otherwise. Nearly 40% of all childhood dental injuries are sports-related! If they dislike wearing the generic mouthguards you find at a sporting goods store, we can fabricate a custom mouthguard that will fit more comfortably and securely.

Remember: Teeth Aren’t Tools

Girl chewing nails headed for kid’s chipped tooth in Garland

Teeth are hard, but they are still vulnerable to chipping and cracking under immense force. Ensure that your child doesn’t regularly bite/chew extremely hard items like ice, pens, pencils, fingernails, etc. If they try to open packaging with their teeth, encourage them to find scissors or the appropriate tool to avoid damaging their teeth.

Pediatric Dental Emergency FAQs

Patient with pediatric dental emergency in Garland

It’s not uncommon for children to suffer from sudden injuries, especially as it pertains to the mouth. With so many falls and stumbles, it’s bound to happen. But knowing what to do and how to handle certain situations will help to keep you and your little one calm and collected when a crisis occurs. To help provide greater clarity on some of the most pressing questions parents have, our team at Shiny Smiles Pediatric Dentistry is here to provide the answers. Review the information below and feel free to call us if you have any additional questions.

Should I visit the emergency room first for dental emergencies?

When your child is facing a dental emergency, you might assume that the ER is the best place to go. Only if they are bleeding excessively or experiencing swelling that does not go down should you plan to visit the emergency room. Otherwise, it is best if you bring them into our office. Our team of experts can quickly review the problem and administer appropriate treatment to not only get them out of pain but also improve the state of their smile.

Do chipped teeth heal?

Unfortunately, chipped teeth do not heal on their own. While it is possible for tooth enamel to remineralize over time, it cannot grow back. Should your little one accidentally chip a tooth, our pediatric dentist in Garland will survey the damage and determine the severity before making any treatment recommendations. It may be that we can apply direct bonding to the area to fill in the missing area and help your child’s smile look as good as new.

Should my child’s knocked-out tooth be placed in water?

While it is okay to gently rinse your child’s knocked-out tooth with water, it should never be placed in a container of water. Not only can it damage the surface cells of the tooth, but it can reduce the chances of keeping it viable. Instead, it is best to try and reinsert it into the socket or in a container of milk. No matter, you should get your child to our office within an hour of the incident if you want to try and save their permanent tooth.

What should I keep in an emergency dentistry kit?

Because children can suffer a dental emergency at any time, any place, it is wise to keep an emergency kit on hand. In it, you should include:

  • A small storage container should a tooth fall out
  • Gauze pads
  • Cotton balls
  • Floss
  • Topical anesthetic
  • Anti-inflammatory medications
  • Ice pack
  • Sterile gloves
  • Phone number to our practice