Knocked-out tooth, broken tooth, dental abscess, or uncontrolled bleeding — call us now. Same-day emergency slots are held available. For knocked-out permanent teeth, the clock starts the moment of injury.
Quick-Action Guide: What to Do Right Now
| Situation | Do This Now | Store / Protect | Do NOT Do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Permanent tooth knocked out | Rinse gently. Try to reimplant. Call us — within 30 minutes is critical. | Milk, saliva, or saline. Never dry. | Scrub the root. Store in water. Wait and see. |
| Baby tooth knocked out | Apply gentle pressure. Keep child calm. Come in same-day. | N/A — do not reimplant baby teeth. | Attempt to put the tooth back. Risk damaging the permanent tooth bud. |
| Broken or chipped tooth | Rinse mouth with warm water. Cold compress to face for swelling. | Save tooth fragments in milk. Bring to clinic. | Leave a sharp edge untreated overnight if a nerve is exposed. |
| Dental abscess / swelling | Call for same-day drainage. Take prescribed antibiotics only. | N/A | Apply heat to the area. Self-medicate without prescription. |
| Soft tissue injury (cut lip/gum) | Press clean cloth firmly for 10 minutes. If bleeding continues, go to hospital A&E. | N/A | Probe or rinse the wound aggressively. |
Dental Emergencies We Treat
Knocked-Out Tooth (Avulsion)
Keep the tooth moist in milk or the child’s own saliva. Do not scrub or clean it. Call us immediately — reimplantation within 30 minutes has the best prognosis. For baby teeth: do not reimplant — it risks damaging the permanent tooth developing underneath.
Broken or Chipped Tooth
Rinse with warm water and apply a cold compress to the face to manage swelling. Save any fragments in milk and come in same-day. A broken tooth with an exposed nerve (look for a pink tinge at the fracture) needs urgent attention to prevent infection and relieve pain.
Dental Abscess
Swelling, intense throbbing pain, fever, or a pimple-like bump on the gum near a tooth is a dental abscess. This is an infection that can spread rapidly — it requires same-day drainage and antibiotic cover. Do not apply heat to the area and never lance it at home.
Severe Toothache
Pain that is constant, wakes a child at night, or is not relieved by paracetamol suggests pulp involvement. This is not a “watch and wait” situation — call us for a same-day slot. Delaying treatment often means the tooth needs a more complex procedure than it would have earlier.
Soft Tissue Injury
Cuts or lacerations inside the mouth from falls or trauma. Apply gentle pressure with a clean cloth. If bleeding does not stop within 10 to 15 minutes, or if the wound is deep, proceed to a hospital emergency department. We assess for secondary injury to underlying teeth once bleeding is controlled.
Lost or Broken Appliance
A broken brace wire, a displaced space maintainer, or a loose orthodontic bracket — call us and bring the appliance in. Loose wires can cause soft tissue injury; space maintainers that fall out need to be re-cemented promptly to prevent teeth from drifting.
Types of Dental Trauma in Children
Not all tooth injuries are the same. Correct first aid and urgency depend on the type of trauma.
| Type | What It Looks Like | Urgency |
|---|---|---|
| Concussion | Tooth is sensitive and tender but in normal position; no mobility. | Same day |
| Subluxation | Tooth is mobile but not displaced; bleeding from the gum sulcus. | Same day |
| Extrusion | Tooth is partially pulled out of its socket; appears longer. | Emergency — within hours |
| Lateral luxation | Tooth is displaced sideways or backwards; may contact opposing teeth abnormally. | Emergency — within hours |
| Intrusion | Tooth is pushed up into the socket; appears shorter than adjacent teeth. | Emergency — same day |
| Avulsion (knocked out) | Tooth is completely out of the socket. For permanent teeth: 30-minute window for reimplantation. | Critical — call immediately |
What Parents Say
“My son knocked out his front tooth on a Sunday evening. I called the emergency number and Dr. Mittal’s team guided me to keep the tooth in milk and come in immediately. The tooth was reimplanted and is still there two years later. I cannot thank them enough.”
“My son fell during cricket and cracked a molar. We got a same-day appointment, the tooth was assessed and sealed the same evening. No infection, no pain, no sleepless night. This is what a genuine emergency service looks like.”
“My daughter woke up at 3am with unbearable tooth pain and facial swelling. By 10am the next morning she had been seen, drained, and was on antibiotics. The team was calm, thorough, and kind with her. What could have been a hospital visit was handled entirely here.”
Frequently Asked Questions
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