Pediatric Emergency Dentist — Aspen Hill, MD

Pain-Relieving Children’s Emergency Dentistry

Accidents happen, especially when you bring an energetic child into the mix! Fortunately, if you have a dental emergency on your hands, there’s a pediatric emergency dentist in Aspen Hill nearby to provide you with the attentive, pain-relieving care that your little one needs. We also offer sedation dentistry to help them feel more comfortable and relaxed in the treatment chair. Call our office today to receive emergency dentistry for children in Aspen Hill if your little one is in need of urgent dental attention.

Why Choose Healthy Kids Dentistry for Pediatric Emergency Dentistry?

  • Experienced Team of Dentists
  • We Accept Dental Insurance
  • Children’s Dental Sedation Available

What to Do in a Pediatric Dental Emergency:

Mother smiling at child during pediatric emergency dentistry visit
  • Call our office right away. Time is of the essence in any emergency situation, so make sure you contact us immediately if your child needs urgent care. We’ll work quickly to get your little one seen! Over the phone, we’ll share tips to help manage the situation at home.
  • Have an emergency exam. When your child gets to our office, we’ll conduct a detailed examination to identify the cause of the problem. Using our findings, we’ll create a custom treatment plan to restore your child’s oral health.
  • Get the care you need. Our team might be able to address your child’s emergency during their appointment. However, they may need to return for additional treatment. Some common services used to repair hurting teeth include fillings, crowns, pulp therapy, and extraction.

The Most Common Pediatric Dental Emergencies

The first step you should always take if your child has experienced a dental emergency is to contact our dental office immediately. We’ll provide you with first-aid guidance over the phone and schedule an appointment for you as soon as possible on the same day you call. Below, we’ve also included some helpful tips to prepare your child for their appointment.

Understanding the Cost of Treating Pediatric Dental Emergencies

The cost of your child’s dental emergency treatment will depend on what the issue is and the type of treatment it requires. For example, a child who experiences dental sensitivity due to an untreated cavity may only need a tooth-colored filling, while a child with a toothache as a result of an infection may need a pulpotomy and dental crown. The crown and pulpotomy would be more costly than the cavity filling because it’s a more extensive treatment plan. During your child’s emergency examination, our team will take the time to discuss all of your child’s treatment options with you, along with price estimates. Keep reading to learn more about the cost of pediatric emergency dentistry in Aspen Hills.

Every Pediatric Dental Emergency Is Different

child getting treatment from pediatric emergency dentist in Aspen Hill

Since every dental emergency is unique for each patient, there isn't a flat fee for the cost of treating your child’s urgent situation. The only way to know how much you’ll need to pay for their dental care is to have them come to see us for an oral examination. Some cases can be fixed with minor treatments like a tooth-colored filling, whereas more serious conditions might require extensive procedures like a tooth extraction. The overall cost of your child’s treatment will depend on the kind of service they need. Our team will walk you through their options and provide you with a more specific price estimate so you know exactly what to expect.

Does Dental Insurance Cover Pediatric Dental Emergencies?

wooden blocks spelling dental plan for pediatric emergency dentistry

The majority of dental insurance companies will offer some coverage for pediatric dental emergencies. This should typically involve at least one annual emergency exam being fully covered, and other common treatments like dental crowns, extractions, or root canal therapy can get partial coverage. However, since insurance policies vary, you’ll want to verify the details of your plan with your provider before jumping on board with any procedures. If needed, you can also consult our knowledgeable team to help you navigate your benefits and make the process smoother.

Other Options for Making Pediatric Dental Emergencies Affordable

father and daughter speaking with a pediatric emergency dentist

Even if you don’t currently have dental insurance, you might be able to explore alternative financing options to pay for your little one’s emergency treatment. We offer a dental membership plan that can give you significant discounts on all services by simply paying a small monthly fee, saving you money in the process. Our team is also partnered with CareCredit, which can break up the cost of your child’s treatment into monthly installments with little-to-no interest!

Taking Care of Your Child’s Smile Can Save You Money

father and child brushing their teeth to avoid dental emergencies

While you can take every precaution in the book to protect your child’s smile, some urgent situations aren’t always predictable. In fact, most dental emergencies are a result of unaddressed damage or infection in the mouth. So, if your little one is complaining about discomfort or has a compromised tooth, be sure to get them treated sooner rather than later. This will help avoid further complications as well as costly dental services down the road. Make sure they also practice good oral hygiene every day and visit their dentist every six months for checkups and cleanings.

Keys to Preventing Pediatric Dental Emergencies

Child visiting dentist to prevent dental emergencies

Unfortunately, there’s no way to keep your child safe from dental emergencies entirely. There are, however, precautionary measures that you can ensure they’re taking to drastically reduce their risk of experiencing one. Here are a few we encourage our patients in Aspen Hill to implement!

Bring Them in for Their Biannual Checkups and Cleanings

Closeup of young girl smiling during dental cleaning

Biannual dental checkups and teeth cleanings are crucial for numerous reasons. In addition to keeping your child’s teeth healthy so they can smile confidently, chew effectively, and speak clearly, these appointments allow our Aspen Hill pediatric dentist to periodically screen for oral health problems, like small cavities. Catching them in the early stages helps avoid a sudden crack or chip that would’ve required an emergency visit to our office.

Keep Them on a Daily Oral Hygiene Routine

Young girl smiling while brushing her teeth

Simply put, a solid at-home oral hygiene routine is crucial. To consistently remove food particles, plaque, and other debris from their teeth and gums, your child should be brushing for a full two minutes each morning and evening. They should also floss daily and begin rinsing with mouthwash once they’re old enough (usually around 12 or 13 years old). Note: make sure to replace their toothbrush every quarter since frayed, old bristles won’t effectively clean their teeth.

Ensure They Eat a Well-Balanced Diet

: Closeup of child biting into red apple outside

As you likely already know, sugar is one of the leading causes of cavities. Therefore, it’s important that you encourage your child to enjoy sugary foods and beverages in moderation. Instead, fill their plate with vitamin-rich foods and vegetables that will help keep their teeth strong and healthy from the inside out. It’s also a good idea to offer nutrient-dense foods that are light in color, like yogurt and oatmeal, to prevent dental discoloration.

Protect Their Teeth If They Play Sports

Teen girl smiling while holding soccer ball on the field

Does your child play sports? If so, it’s important to protect their teeth. After all, roughly five million teeth are knocked out each year due to a sports-related injury! Fortunately, a custom-made mouthguard can go a long way in reducing your child’s chances of experiencing a dental injury like that. Note: encourage your child to wear theirs at games and at practices.

Don’t Let Them Use Their Teeth as Tools

Closeup of young boy using teeth to open package

Has your child ever used their teeth to open a bag of chips, a carton of milk, or a bottle of soda? Even if they haven’t had any problems in the past, all it takes is one time for their teeth to give instead of the item they are trying to open. As you can imagine, this can be quite a painful and traumatizing experience for your child, so encourage them to use the scissors or bottle opener instead.

Tooth Extractions

Dentist examining child after tooth extractions

We never recommend extracting a child’s tooth unless it’s absolutely necessary for them to maintain good overall oral health. However, if your little one does require a tooth extraction, we’ll make it as comfortable and pain-free as possible by administering sedation and local anesthesia, if necessary.

Frequently Asked Questions, Answered!

young girl with dental emergency

No matter how many precautions you take, a dental emergency can strike when you least expect it to. Fortunately, if you ever need care from a pediatric emergency dentist in Aspen Hill, we’ve got you covered! As a parent, we understand you only want what’s best for your little one. That’s why our team at Healthy Kids Dentistry has decided to answer some frequently asked questions below. Should you not see your concerns listed below, don’t hesitate to reach out for personal assistance!

Should I Take My Child to the Emergency Room First for Dental Emergencies?

You may think that your local emergency room is the best place to take your little one when they experience a pediatric dental emergency in Aspen Hill. However, that’s not necessarily true. Most hospitals are unable to effectively address these injuries because they don’t have a qualified dental specialist on staff.

The only time you should ever take your child to the ER is if they’re having difficulty swallowing or breathing, have a fractured or broken jawbone, or if they’ve sustained a serious cut or laceration to the face that’s causing continuous bleeding. In any other situation, you should bring them to our office for treatment.

Do Chipped Teeth Heal?

Although tooth enamel is the hardest substance in the human body, it does not have the ability to heal on its own. If your child has a chipped tooth, it will not grow back no matter how minor or severe the damage is. The tooth may “remineralize” at best, but that’s not considered to be the tooth growing back. Your little one will need restorative or cosmetic dentistry to improve the shape and condition of their pearly whites.

Are Knocked-Out Baby Teeth a Dental Emergency?

Since baby teeth will come out eventually, you may not be too concerned if one happens to fall out prematurely. However, that is a problem because baby teeth need to stay in as long as possible. If your child’s baby tooth gets knocked out, do not try to reinsert it into the vacated socket. Instead, make an appointment with our team as soon as possible!

We’ll carefully examine your child’s mouth to determine if any damage has occurred and if they need a space maintainer. If the bleeding does not stop or you believe they damaged their jaw in any way, you should take them straight to your local emergency room. Medical professionals are better qualified to handle those types of situations.

What Should I Keep in My Emergency Dentistry Kit?

It’s always best to be prepared for the unexpected rather than deal with an emergency when it happens. As a parent, you should keep an emergency dentistry kit with you at all times that contains the following essentials:

  • Dental floss
  • Ice pack
  • Our practice’s contact information
  • A topical anesthetic like Orajel
  • Ibuprofen or another anti-inflammatory medication
  • Dental cement
  • Gauze pads and dressings
  • Cotton balls
  • Small sealable container
  • Sterile gloves
  • Petroleum jelly

Toothaches

Is My Child's Toothache a Dental Emergency? If your child tells you that their tooth is hurting, you can ask a few additional questions to determine if it’s a dental emergency. If the pain has persisted longer than 24 hours, they are experiencing discomfort when biting down, their tooth is discolored, or any other abnormal symptoms are present in tandem with their toothache, then it’s important to schedule a same-day appointment with our Aspen Hill pediatric emergency dentist.

How You Should Handle Your Child's Toothache First, have them rinse with a mixture of salt and warm water. This will serve two purposes: helping dissolve any debris that’s caught between their teeth and preventing infection. You can also provide them with a cold compress or give them an over-the-counter pain reliever for children. Lastly, encourage them not to chew on that side of their mouth and don’t give them any acidic, sugary, or crunchy foods.

How We Treat Toothaches in Children Once your child arrives at our office and settles into the treatment chair, we will take the necessary X-rays and conduct an oral exam. This will allow us to pinpoint the source of the toothache. We will review our findings with you and your child before reviewing the necessary restorative treatment, which is usually a tooth-colored filling, dental crown, or pulpotomy.

LEARN MORE ABOUT TOOTH-COLORED FILLINGS

LEARN MORE ABOUT DENTAL CROWNS

LEARN MORE ABOUT PULPOTOMY

Chipped Tooth

Is My Child's Chipped Tooth a Dental Emergency? If the chip is large or causes your child any discomfort, then a same-day appointment is necessary. If the chip is small, on the other hand, then you can wait a day or two (if necessary) to bring your child in for a visit.

How You Should Handle Your Child's Chipped Tooth To keep their mouth clean and clear away any loose shards, start by having your child gently rinse with water. If the chip has created a sharp edge, then place a piece of sugarless gum or dental wax over it to protect your child’s lips, tongue, and gums from damage. Once again, avoiding crunchy and hard foods, like popcorn, whole apples, and raw nuts, is of the utmost importance since this can cause the tooth to chip further.

How We Treat Children's Chipped Teeth From filling the damaged area with tooth-colored composite resin to using dental bonding to recement the missing piece back in place, there are several steps we can take to restore the look and function of your child’s smile. If the dental injury was a result of a sports accident, then we can also provide them with a custom athletic mouthguard to protect their teeth in the future.

LEARN MORE ABOUT ATHLETIC MOUTHGUARDS

Cracked Tooth

Is My Child's Cracked Tooth a Dental Emergency? Since cracked teeth are often painful, they do require urgent treatment. However, that’s not the only reason they are considered a dental emergency! Cracked teeth are also vulnerable to further damage and infection, so it’s important that you schedule an appointment for your child to come in as soon as possible.

How You Should Handle Your Child's Cracked Tooth To prevent further damage, remind your child not to chew on that side of their mouth. If you have an hour or two until their appointment and they get hungry, then offer them soft foods, like scrambled eggs or yogurt. If they are struggling with tooth sensitivity, then show them how to place a piece of dental wax or sugarless gum over the tooth. If all else fails, you can give them an over-the-counter pain reliever as well.

How We Treat Children's Cracked Teeth Fortunately, cracked teeth can usually be restored with a dental crown. This popular restorative treatment can effectively protect and support the weakened tooth, giving your child a strong, pain-free bite once more. Plus, they come in a wide range of lifelike shades, which ensures no unwanted attention will be drawn to the tooth either.

LEARN MORE ABOUT DENTAL CROWNS

Knocked-Out Permanent Tooth

Is a knocked-out permanent tooth an emergency? Absolutely! Time is of the essence in this situation, which means you need to act quickly and correctly for a better chance of saving your child’s tooth. Contact our office right away to schedule an emergency appointment if your child has knocked out a permanent tooth.

How you should handle a knocked-out permanent tooth: Retrieve the knocked-out tooth and be sure to only handle it by the biting surface. Store it in a sealable container filled with milk or saltwater to keep it viable. Don’t forget to bring it to their appointment with you!

How we treat knocked-out permanent teeth: If the tooth is reimplanted and stabilized within half an hour, your child’s tooth has a survival rate of about 90 percent. The more time passes, the less chance we have to restore your child’s smile. We may need to replace the gap with a dental bridge. Dental implants are only an option for children whose jaws have stopped growing, which is usually 16 years old for girls and 18 years old for boys.

Knocked-Out Baby Tooth

Is a knocked-out baby tooth an emergency? It depends. Some parents may not think that a knocked-out tooth is a big deal because it was eventually going to come out anyway. However, losing a baby tooth prematurely could lead to oral health issues down the line. That’s why it’s best to make an appointment with our team as soon as possible!

How you should handle a knocked-out baby tooth: Do not put a baby tooth back in the socket! It could damage the permanent tooth underneath. Plus, a young child may accidentally swallow or choke on it. You don’t have to keep the tooth moist – simply bring it with you to your child’s appointment.

How we treat knocked-out baby teeth: There are cases where nothing needs to be done when a baby tooth is knocked out. However, if it came out too early, we may need to place a space maintainer to prevent neighboring teeth from tilting into the gap and trapping the permanent tooth underneath.

Bitten Tongue, Lip, or Cheek

Is a bitten tongue, lip, or cheek an emergency? If your child has sustained an oral injury, it can be quite alarming, especially because these cuts tend to bleed a lot. Give our office a call and explain the situation. We may be able to help if the injury is minor!

How you should handle your child’s soft tissue injury: Carefully clean the wound with water and apply gentle pressure to stop the bleeding. If needed, you can have your child use a cold compress to reduce swelling and inflammation.

How we treat soft tissue injuries in children: When your child comes into our office, we’ll check to see if the soft oral tissues are the only part that was injured. Our team will stitch up the wound if needed. If the bleeding is uncontrollable, you should take your child to the nearest emergency room for medical attention instead.

Learn More About Custom Athletic Mouthguards for Kids

Dental Concussion

Is My Child's Dental Concussion an Emergency? In short, a dental concussion is when a tooth has been shoved out of place, and, as you may have guessed, it is an emergency. If you are in the Aspen Hill area, then call our team right away and schedule an appointment for your child.

How You Should Handle Your Child's Dental Concussion This dental injury can be scary, so do your best to keep your child calm and reassure them that everything is going to be okay. Then, have them gently rinse their mouth with clean water. To address their discomfort, you can also place a cold compress against the outside of their cheek or offer them an OTC pain reliever for children.

How We Treat Dental Concussions in Children After conducting a detailed oral exam and taking X-rays, we will have a better understanding of the severity of the damage and what needs to be done to restore your child’s smile. Whether it’s a dental splint, root canal therapy, or an extraction, we will review all of the available treatment options so you feel confident deciding what’s best.

Sensitive Teeth

Are My Child's Sensitive Teeth an Emergency? If your child mentions that their teeth feel sensitive when eating or drinking something hot or cold, then monitor their symptoms a bit more closely. If their symptoms persist, then call our Aspen Hill pediatric dental office to schedule an appointment.

How You Should Handle Your Child's Sensitive Teeth Until we determine the root of the problem, the best thing you can do is help your child avoid hot and cold foods and drinks. You can also switch their toothpaste to a desensitizing one in the meantime. This will help the sensitivity from being exacerbated.

How We Treat Sensitive Teeth in Children At your child’s appointment, we will ask them a few questions, take X-rays, and look at their teeth and gums. With this information, we can pinpoint the cause of their sensitivity and determine what the next best steps are.

Lost Filling or Crown

Is My Child's Lost Filling or Crown an Emergency? Yes! Even if your child isn’t in any pain, their tooth is now weak and vulnerable to splitting. Plus, if bacteria collect in the area, an infection can develop as well. So, don’t wait to call us!

How You Should Handle Your Child's Lost Filling or Crown If your child is scared or overwhelmed, have them take a few deep breaths before gently rinsing their mouth with room-temperature water. If you have the restoration, place it in a clean container and bring it with you to their appointment.

How We Treat Lost Fillings or Crowns in Children Lost fillings are typically always treated the same: restoring the look and function of your child’s tooth with a new one. However, there is also the option to re-cement the old dental crown back in place if it’s in good condition.

Something Stuck Between the Teeth

Is Having Something Stuck Between My Child's Teeth an Emergency? IAlthough something stuck between your child’s teeth may not seem like much of an issue, it does increase the chances of them developing tooth decay. That’s why we recommend acting quickly, even if it doesn’t immediately necessitate a visit to our Aspen Hill pediatric dentist.

How You Should Handle Something Stuck Between Your Child's Teeth First, dissolve some salt in warm water and have your child rinse with the mixture. Then, use some floss to gently clean between their teeth, dislodging the debris in the process. If the debris remains firmly in place, don’t use a sharp object, like tweezers or a toothpick, instead. Simply call us and explain the situation over the phone. We’ll take it from there!