Emergency Dental Care for Children

Dealing with Common Dental Emergencies

Knocked-Out Baby Tooth

The immediate step is to attempt to stop the bleeding gum by applying gentle pressure or bite on a cotton gauze or a clean, rolled-up tissue paper and place it on the bleeding socket or site for around 5-10 minutes. Give your child pain-killers as appropriate. Please note that Ibuprofen may not be suitable for asthmatics.

Knocked-Out Adult Tooth

Hold the tooth by the crown, avoiding the root end, and rinse it gently. Leave any attached tissue on the tooth. Attempt to put the tooth back in the socket with it facing in the right direction. Bite gently down on a clean towel or tissue to stabilise the tooth. If this simple procedure is carried out within 5 minutes, 80-90% of teeth should survive. Alternatively put it in cup or jar of milk or salty water. Call Marsh House or the emergency dental centres of your local hospital for assistance.

Cracked, Broken or Chipped Baby Tooth

If the child is not in pain, it is not a real emergency. Call Marsh House or your local dentist so your child can be seen as soon as possible, where the right course of treatment will be carried out such as rebuilding the crown with a composite resin material, or removing the tooth if badly damaged. It may sometimes involve root canal treatment, known aspulpotomy/pulpectomy.

Cracked, Broken or Chipped Adult Tooth

Call Marsh House or your local dentist your child as soon as possible, where the right course of treatment will be carried out; such as rebuilding the crown with a composite resin material, or removing the tooth if badly damaged. It may sometimes involve root canal treatment.

If your child has a dental emergency please call us on: 020 8646 6300 Monday – Friday: 9am-5pm. 

Outside of these hours please leave a message on the answer phone. If we are unable to get back to you within 30 minutes, please call your local Dentist or NHS 111 Alternatively contact the Dental Emergencies department at your local hospital.