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It’s every parent’s nightmare: your child is enjoying a snack when suddenly they bite too hard on a piece of candy and break a tooth. When this happens, a swift response is key; you’ll need to take care of your child and the damaged tooth as best as you can before calling their dentist in South Austin. It pays to be prepared, so look out for your little one’s smile by putting together a dental emergency kit that includes these 6 essentials.

1. MEDICAL GLOVES AND A DENTAL MIRROR

When your child has suffered an oral injury, you’ll need to check and see if there’s anything at the site of the accident that can still cause problems. A dental mirror can help you get a good look at every nook and cranny of their mouth. You’ll also want to have medical gloves prepared in case you need to reach inside; the last thing you want to do is expose your child’s injury to the germs on your hand.

2. DENTAL WAX

A chipped tooth or broken braces can irritate the gums, but this can be alleviated with the use of wax. It can also sometimes be used to temporarily replace a lost filling.

3. STERILE GAUZE

You’ll need to get any bleeding under control as quickly as possible; you can do this by placing sterile gauze (a translucent fabric that has many medical uses) on the afflicted area. This material can also be handy for safely moving the tongue enough to examine the mouth as thoroughly as possible.

4. ORABASE

If your child is suffering from sores in the mouth due to their injury, Orabase can be used to temporarily relieve the pain. This is a dental paste that can stick to the moist surfaces in the mouth to reduce swelling, itching and pain from a sore.

5. DENTAL FLOSS

While tooth pain might be a sign of an infection, it could also simply be due to a piece of food that got stuck. Such cases can often be easily resolved with dental floss.

6. PAIN RELIEVERS

You can make your child more comfortable while waiting for their emergency dental appointment with various forms of pain relief. An ice pack can be used to reduce swelling; other forms of pain can be controlled with oral medications such as Orajel or more general over-the-counter pain medication such as ibuprofen.

These are just some handy tools to have on hand in the worst-case scenario. Ask your children’s dentist for other recommendations, such as products that can help preserve a lost tooth so that it can be saved.  And remember, no kit is complete without a card that says, “Here’s how to get in contact with a dentist near me!”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dr. Jack Fan is a member of the American Dental Association and enjoys being able to help people look and feel their best with a healthy smile. His practice, the Dental Centre, provides gentle care for children and offers mouthguards, dental sealants and other measures that can help protect against dental emergencies. To schedule an appointment, visit his website or call (512) 361-4288.