Children, especially young ones still developing motor skills, may experience dental accidents as they learn to walk, run, or start taking risks. Dental accidents can happen suddenly and if they do, please call us right away.
Our practice functions as an emergency dentist for kids who are existing patients and requiring immediate dental care.
We advise parents to keep Weymouth Street Dentist as a contact in their phone, so they can call us immediately in an emergency situation.
In the case of a child’s dental emergency, please telephone the practice for advice or to request an urgent appointment. If you contact us during the opening hours of the practice, we aim to see your child the same day.
We request that you contact us as soon as the emergency occurs. Calls made at the end of the day may result in delayed treatment for your child.
In the case of dental trauma, you can call the practice outside our normal working hours, and we will provide an emergency contact number. If your call is unanswered initially, please leave a message. Someone will return your call as soon as possible.
If deemed necessary, one of our specialist paediatric dentists will arrange a time to assess your child. Primary treatment goals will include pain alleviation and stabilisation of any trauma.
The common types of dental emergencies we see in children include:
If you are unsure whether your child is experiencing an emergency dental situation, please call our office. Once we’re aware of the emergency, we can determine how urgently your child requires dental care.
Please note that it’s important that you inform us to whether your child’s dental emergency involves injuries to primary teeth or permanent teeth. Reason being, the dental care for these teeth are managed differently.
In the event of dental trauma to primary teeth, the development and health of permanent teeth below the gums’ surface may be disturbed.
We recommend prompt assessment of the injury, even when we’re dealing with primary teeth. We’re skilled at saving injured primary teeth but only do so if there’s no risk to underlying developing permanent teeth.
Dental damage to permanent teeth in children is commonly related to falls, sports, and other activity-based injuries.
In the event of a child’s dental emergency where there is dental trauma to permanent teeth, prompt referral to our paediatric dentist is essential. Emergencies with permanent teeth require immediate care to optimise the continued development and survival of the nerves of the teeth. Care may be ongoing depending on the damage to the nerve or blood supply of the tooth.
As a parent, the best thing you can do when your child has a dental emergency is not to panic. Remaining calm may help keep your child calm when they require emergency dental care.
If a tooth comes out of your child’s mouth, it needs to be replaced right away as replanting the lost tooth is a time-bound. The tooth needs to be kept moist in fresh, cold milk or physiologic saline. Do not handle the tooth by the root or scrub it clean; gently rinsing it with saline is advised. If the child is old enough, the tooth can restored in the socket – provided there is no risk of them swallowing the tooth.
For objects stuck between their teeth, try to remove it with dental floss. Do not try to use other tools to remove it. If you can’t remove it, give us a call.
Has your child has chipped or broken off part of their tooth? If so, rinse their mouth with warm water and use a cold compress to reduce any swelling. And if possible, bring the broken tooth fragment with you to your appointment with our paediatric dentist.
For pain management, do not put any pain reliever, such as aspirin, directly to the affected area as it may damage the gums. Children may take oral pain medication as long as it’s not rubbed into the damaged area.
Should your child require an out of hours treatment, a call-out fee will be charged in addition to any treatment provided.
Tel: 0207 580 5370
E-mail: [email protected]
33 Weymouth Street, London, W1G 7BY