# Emergency Pediatric Dentist: What to Do Right Now > Children’s dental emergencies one by one, from the AAPD, the AAE, the ADA and children’s hospitals: what to do in the first minutes, how fast to see a dentist, when the ER is the right call, and how to find care after hours. In a child’s dental emergency, call your pediatric dentist first, even after hours: many practices have an on-call line or a message saying what to do. A knocked-out permanent tooth is the true race against the clock: put it back in or keep it in milk, and see a dentist within 30 minutes if you can. Never put a baby tooth back. Go to the ER for a head injury, a possible broken jaw, bleeding that won’t stop after 10 minutes of pressure, or swelling with trouble breathing or swallowing. By Summerground, updated October 13, 2026. ## At a glance - Save your dentist’s after-hours number in your phone now. In an emergency, call it first. - A knocked-out permanent tooth has the best chance back in its socket within 15 minutes, and may still be saved within the first hour. Never put a baby tooth back. - Go to the ER first for a head injury, a possible broken jaw, bleeding that won’t stop after 10 minutes of pressure, or swelling with trouble breathing or swallowing. - Most small chips, slightly loose teeth, braces problems and mild toothaches can wait for office hours, within a day. When in doubt, call. - This page is a guide to what the experts advise, not medical advice for your child. ## 9 children’s dental emergencies and what to do Most urgent first. Each one links to the guidance it’s based on, from the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD), the American Association of Endodontists (AAE), the American Dental Association (ADA), the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the American Association of Orthodontists and children’s hospitals. When you’re unsure, call your dentist or your child’s doctor. ### 1. Knocked-out permanent (adult) tooth Find the tooth and pick it up by the crown, never the root. If it’s dirty, rinse it gently, without scrubbing or soap: the AAP and AAPD say in milk or saline, the AAE in water. Then push it back into the socket and have your child bite on gauze or a cloth to hold it. If you can’t, keep it moist in milk, saline or your child’s saliva (spit into a cup), not tap water, and go to a dentist or the nearest ER. The AAP says the best chance is within 15 minutes; it may still be saved within the first hour. - When: Right now: see a dentist within 30 minutes if you can - Hold it by the crown, not the root - Don’t scrub it or use soap - Store it in milk, saline or saliva - Not in tap water - Website: https://www.aae.org/patients/dental-symptoms/knocked-out-teeth/ ### 2. Knocked-out baby tooth Don’t put a baby tooth back in. The AAE and the AAPD-endorsed trauma guidelines warn that replanting it can damage the permanent tooth growing underneath, and the AAP says the adult tooth will come in on its own. If it’s bleeding, have your child bite on a piece of cold, wet gauze; an ice pop or a cold pack wrapped in a washcloth helps with swelling. Call your pediatric dentist so they can check for other injuries. Over the next weeks, watch for swollen gums, a fever, pain that doesn’t go away, or a nearby tooth turning darker. - When: Call your dentist today; be seen within 24 hours - Never put a baby tooth back - Cold, wet gauze for bleeding - Watch for a tooth turning dark - Website: https://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/injuries-emergencies/Pages/First-Aid-for-a-Knocked-Out-Permanent-Tooth.aspx ### 3. Chipped or broken tooth Rinse your child’s mouth with warm water, hold a cold compress on the cheek or lip for swelling, and look for the broken piece: keep it in a clean container of milk, saliva or saline, because the dentist may be able to bond it back on. Call your pediatric dentist. A red dot or bleeding in the middle of the break means the nerve (pulp) is exposed, which hurts and needs prompt treatment. A small chip that doesn’t hurt can wait for office hours, within a day. - When: Same day if it bleeds or hurts badly; otherwise within 24 hours - Save the piece in milk or saliva - Red spot in the break: call now - Cold compress for a hurt lip - Website: https://www.mychildrensteeth.org/what-to-do-if-my-child-chips-a-tooth/ ### 4. Tooth pushed in, pushed out or loosened after a fall A tooth pushed far out of place, up into the gum or partly out of its socket needs a call to the dentist now; one that’s only slightly out of line, or feels very loose, within 24 hours. A tooth that’s a little loose and still in place usually tightens on its own: serve soft foods for about 3 days and hold a cold pack on the cheek for 20 minutes. The dentist repositions and steadies a displaced tooth. Some permanent teeth need a root canal later, and the AAE suggests checking injured teeth for up to five years. - When: Pushed far out of place: call now. Very loose: within 24 hours - Pushed far out of place: call now - Slightly loose: soft foods for 3 days - Follow-up checks for years - Website: https://www.childrenscolorado.org/conditions-and-advice/conditions-and-symptoms/symptoms/tooth-injury/ ### 5. Cut or bitten lip, tongue or cheek For a lip, press it against the teeth for 10 minutes; for the tongue, press gauze on the cut for 5 minutes. Ice or an ice pop for 20 minutes helps the pain, and small cuts inside the mouth usually heal in 3 or 4 days. Get care now for a gaping cut of the lip, tongue or inside of the mouth that may need stitches, trouble swallowing, or a fall with a pencil or toothbrush in the mouth, which can puncture the back of the throat. Bleeding that won’t stop after 10 minutes of pressure means the ER. - When: ER if bleeding won’t stop after 10 minutes of pressure - Lip: press for 10 minutes - Tongue: gauze for 5 minutes - Gaping cut may need stitches - Dirty cut? Check tetanus shots - Website: https://www.seattlechildrens.org/conditions/a-z/mouth-injury/ ### 6. Toothache Tooth decay is the most common cause of toothaches, the Mayo Clinic says, and food stuck between teeth is another. Have your child rinse with warm water, gently floss on both sides of the sore tooth, and hold a cold pack on the cheek for 20 minutes. Children’s acetaminophen or ibuprofen, dosed for your child’s age and weight, can help; never put aspirin or heat on the sore area. A mild ache that’s gone within a day can wait for a checkup, but call your dentist if it lasts, gets worse or pain medicine doesn’t help. - When: See the dentist if it lasts over a day or gets worse - Floss out trapped food - No aspirin or heat on the gums - Lasts over 24 hours: call the dentist - Website: https://www.aapd.org/resources/parent/faq/ ### 7. Swelling or fever with tooth pain Swelling of the gum next to a tooth, the cheek or the jaw, especially with a fever, can mean an infected tooth (an abscess). Boston Children’s Hospital says to bring your child to the dentist or pediatrician at the first sign: caught early, these infections are easy to treat, but they can spread. Go to the ER now if swelling spreads toward the eye or down the neck, or your child has trouble breathing or swallowing. Don’t put heat on a swollen face. Treatment usually means draining the infection, often with antibiotics. - When: Dentist today; ER now if swelling nears the eye or neck - Trouble breathing or swallowing: 911 - Swelling near the eye or neck: ER - No heat on a swollen face - Website: https://www.childrenshospital.org/conditions-treatments/dentoalveolar-infections ### 8. Broken braces wire or loose bracket A poking wire or a loose bracket hurts but is rarely an emergency, the American Association of Orthodontists says. Push a poking wire flat with a clean pencil eraser or cotton swab, or cover the end with orthodontic wax; remove a small broken piece only if you safely can, with clean tweezers. Slide a loose bracket back toward the middle of the tooth, skip hard and sticky foods, and call the orthodontist. Heavy bleeding, trouble breathing or swallowing, or a possible broken jaw needs emergency care first. - When: Usually not an emergency: call the orthodontist - Pencil eraser or wax for a poking wire - Avoid hard, chewy and sticky foods - Sores: salt-water rinse - Website: https://aaoinfo.org/whats-trending/what-is-an-orthodontic-emergency/ ### 9. Something stuck between teeth Food or a small object wedged between teeth is uncomfortable, but the Cleveland Clinic doesn’t count it as a dental emergency. The ADA says to try to remove it gently with dental floss, and not with anything sharp or pointed. If it won’t come out, or the gum around it stays sore, call your dentist during office hours. - When: Not an emergency; call if it won’t come out - Floss gently; nothing sharp - Office hours are fine - Website: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/11368--dental-emergencies-what-to-do ## Kids’ dental emergencies at a glance: what to do and how soon Check your child before the tooth. A blow hard enough to break or knock out a tooth can also hurt the head or jaw, and those come first. *What to do now and how soon to be seen (AAPD, AAE, ADA, AAP, AAO and children’s hospitals’ guidance, read October 2026). Not medical advice.* | Emergency | Do this now | How soon to be seen | | --- | --- | --- | | Hard hit to the head, passing out, or a possible broken jaw | Call 911 or go to the ER. The tooth can wait. | Now | | Knocked-out permanent tooth | Hold by the crown, put it back or keep it in milk, saline or saliva | Now: within 30 minutes if you can; best within 15 | | Knocked-out baby tooth | Don’t put it back. Cold, wet gauze for bleeding. | Call today; seen within 24 hours | | Broken tooth with a red dot, bleeding from the tooth, or bad pain | Save the piece in milk or saliva; cold compress | Call now; same day | | Small chip, no pain | Save the piece; rinse with warm water | Within 24 hours | | Tooth pushed in, out or sideways | Call the dentist; cold pack; soft foods | Far out of place: call now. Slightly: within 24 hours | | Tooth a little loose, still in place | Soft foods for about 3 days; cold pack | Within 24 hours if very loose | | Cut lip, tongue or cheek | Press 10 minutes (lip) or 5 (tongue); ice | ER if bleeding won’t stop after 10 minutes; care now for a gaping cut | | Toothache, no swelling | Rinse, floss, cold pack, children’s pain medicine | If it lasts over 24 hours or gets worse | | Swelling or fever with tooth pain | Call the dentist or pediatrician; no heat | Same day; ER now if near the eye or neck, or trouble breathing or swallowing | | Poking braces wire or loose bracket | Pencil eraser or orthodontic wax | Call the orthodontist; rarely urgent | | Something stuck between teeth | Floss gently; nothing sharp | Office hours if it won’t come out | **Not sure if it’s a baby tooth or a permanent one?** Call a dentist right away or go to the ER, as Nemours KidsHealth advises, and keep the tooth moist in milk until someone can tell you. > Experts differ on the details. The AAE says to rinse a dirty knocked-out tooth in water; the AAP says milk or saline, never tap water. The AAE says to see a dentist within 30 minutes, though teeth out for an hour or more can sometimes be saved; the AAP says the best chance is within 15 minutes. All agree: act fast, keep it moist, and never touch the root. ## When to go to the ER instead of the dentist Go to the emergency room, or call 911, before you think about a dentist if your child has: - **A possible head injury,** such as a hard blow to the head or passing out, even briefly. The AAPD says a severe head injury can be life-threatening and needs immediate medical attention. - **A possible broken or dislocated jaw.** - **Bleeding that won’t stop** after 10 minutes of steady, direct pressure. - **Swelling that spreads** toward the eye or down the neck, or **trouble breathing or swallowing.** Infections of upper teeth can spread around the eye, and lower ones can block the airway, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s emergency guidance warns. - **A fall with something in the mouth,** such as a pencil or toothbrush, that may have punctured the back of the throat. - **A knocked-out permanent tooth** when you can’t reach a dentist right away. The AAP says to go to your dentist or the nearest ER, and to call ahead. Know what an ER can do. Emergency doctors can replant a knocked-out permanent tooth, treat bleeding and cuts, and handle a broken jaw or a spreading infection. But emergency departments are seldom equipped or staffed to do dental procedures on children, notes a 2026 study of children’s ER visits for toothache in Michigan State University’s medical student research journal, so for an ordinary toothache they usually treat the pain and send you to a dentist. If you can, choose a children’s hospital: some have pediatric dentists on staff, and the AAPD lists emergency department care among a pediatric dentist’s hospital privileges. ## How to find an emergency pediatric dentist after hours 1. **Call your own dentist first, even at night.** Many practices have an emergency number or an after-hours message that tells you what to do, the AAPD and the Cleveland Clinic say. Save it in your phone today, with your orthodontist’s. 2. **No dentist, or no answer?** Search the AAPD’s [Find a Pediatric Dentist](https://www.aapd.org/publications/find-a-pd/) directory and call nearby offices. Some pediatric practices run on-call lines every night and weekend; their recorded message will say. 3. **For an injured permanent tooth, try an endodontist.** The AAE says endodontists specialize in traumatic dental injuries and many fit in emergencies, sometimes on weekends. 4. **For lower-cost care,** call a dental school clinic or a community health center and ask about urgent visits. HRSA’s [guide to finding low-cost dental care](https://www.hrsa.gov/oral-health/how-to-find-dental-care) explains how to find both, and many health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. 5. **For the problems in the list above, go to the ER**, a children’s hospital if you can. > When you call, say your child’s age, what happened and when, which tooth (baby or permanent, if you know), and whether there’s bleeding, swelling or fever. Have the tooth or piece with you, kept moist. ## What is a pediatric dentist, and what makes a kid-friendly one? A pediatric dentist is a dentist with **two to three years of specialty training after dental school**, the AAPD says, who treats only children, from infants through teens, including children with special health care needs. Residency covers child development and psychology, behavior management, oral and facial injuries, sedation and general anesthesia, and care for children with disabilities. The ADA calls pediatric dentists the pediatricians of dentistry. Board-certified pediatric dentists have also passed the [American Board of Pediatric Dentistry](https://www.abpd.org/)’s exams. Many family dentists see children too. The AAPD says a child should first see a dentist when the first tooth appears, and no later than the first birthday, then about every six months. A dentist who already knows your child is the easiest one to reach in an emergency. Signs of a kid-friendly dentist, and questions to ask before you need one: - [ ] Is there an after-hours emergency line, and who answers it? - [ ] Can you see a child with a dental injury the same day? - [ ] Can I stay with my child during the visit? - [ ] How do you help nervous children? (The ADA says pediatric dentists tailor behavior guidance to each child and to parents’ preferences.) - [ ] Do you see children with special needs, and what sedation do you offer, if any? Who gives it? - [ ] Is the office set up for kids, with a welcoming waiting room and staff used to toddlers and teens? - [ ] Do you take our insurance or our child’s Medicaid or CHIP plan? Looking for a pediatric dentist near Sacramento, or one for a child with special needs in LA? See our guides to [pediatric dentists in the Sacramento area](https://summerground.com/guides/pediatric-dentists-sacramento) and [special needs dentists in Los Angeles](https://summerground.com/guides/special-needs-dentists-los-angeles). ## A dental first-aid kit for kids Keep these together at home, and a smaller set in the sports bag: - [ ] Your dentist’s and orthodontist’s numbers, including after hours. - [ ] A small, clean container with a lid, for a knocked-out tooth or a broken piece. - [ ] A tooth-saving kit with a balanced salt solution, such as Save-A-Tooth, which the AAE and the AAP both name. Milk works too. - [ ] Clean gauze or a clean washcloth, for bleeding and to hold a replanted tooth in place. - [ ] A cold pack, and ice pops in the freezer. - [ ] Children’s acetaminophen or ibuprofen, with the dose for your child’s age and weight written down. No aspirin on the gums. - [ ] Dental floss, for food stuck between teeth. - [ ] Orthodontic wax, if your child wears braces. > Prevention helps most. The AAPD recommends a soft plastic mouthguard for sports, to protect teeth, lips, cheeks and gums, and says a custom-fitted one from a pediatric dentist may also help protect against more serious injuries. It also suggests car seats for young children and childproofing at home. ## Questions parents ask ### What should I do if my child knocks out a baby tooth? Don’t put it back in: the AAPD and the AAE warn that replanting a baby tooth can damage the permanent tooth growing underneath. Have your child bite on cold, wet gauze if it’s bleeding, use an ice pop or a cold pack for swelling, and call your pediatric dentist the same day so they can check for other injuries. Watch over the next weeks for swollen gums, fever, lasting pain or a nearby tooth turning darker. ### How long do you have to save a knocked-out permanent tooth? Minutes matter. The AAP says a permanent tooth has the best chance when it’s back in the socket within 15 minutes, and may still be saved within the first hour. The AAE says to see a dentist within 30 minutes. Hold the tooth by the crown, put it back if you can, or keep it in milk, saline or your child’s saliva, and go straight to a dentist or the ER. ### Should I take my child to the ER for a dental emergency? Go to the ER for a head injury, a possible broken jaw, bleeding that won’t stop after 10 minutes of pressure, swelling near the eye or neck, trouble breathing or swallowing, or a knocked-out permanent tooth when no dentist can see you right away. For most other problems, call your dentist first: ERs can treat pain, cuts and infections, but usually can’t do dental work on children, so you’d still need a dentist. ### What is a pediatric dentist? A pediatric dentist is a dentist who has done two to three more years of specialty training after dental school and treats only children, from babies through teens, including children with special health care needs, according to the AAPD. Training covers child development, behavior, dental injuries, sedation and care for children with disabilities. The AAPD recommends a first visit when the first tooth comes in, and no later than age 1. ### Is a chipped tooth an emergency? Usually not, but your child should see a dentist. Save any piece in milk or saliva, rinse with warm water and use a cold compress. Call right away if you see a red dot or bleeding in the middle of the break, or if it hurts a lot: that can mean the nerve is exposed. A small chip that doesn’t hurt can wait for office hours, within about a day. ### What can I give my child for tooth pain? Children’s acetaminophen or ibuprofen, dosed for your child’s age and weight, can help until you see the dentist, along with a cold pack on the cheek for 20 minutes and a warm-water rinse. Never put aspirin on the tooth or gums (the AAPD and the ADA) or heat on the sore area (the AAPD). If pain lasts more than a day, gets worse or comes with swelling or fever, call the dentist. ### How do I find a kid-friendly dentist? Start with the AAPD’s Find a Pediatric Dentist directory, then call a few offices and ask: Do you have an after-hours emergency line? Can I stay with my child? How do you help nervous children? Do you see children with special needs? Pediatric dental offices are usually designed for kids, the ADA notes, and their dentists tailor their approach to each child. Choose one before you need it. ## How we made this list We built this from the guidance of the AAPD, the AAE, the ADA, the AAP, the American Association of Orthodontists and children’s hospitals (Children’s Hospital Colorado, Seattle Children’s, Boston Children’s, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia), read in October 2026 after Exa searches. Where they differ, as on how to rinse a knocked-out tooth and how long you have, we say so. It’s not medical advice, and we left out advice we could trace only to individual dental practices. - [AAPD: Parent FAQ (what a pediatric dentist is, emergencies)](https://www.aapd.org/resources/parent/faq/) - [AAPD (MyChildrensTeeth.org): What to do if my child chips a tooth](https://www.mychildrensteeth.org/what-to-do-if-my-child-chips-a-tooth/) - [AAPD: Find a Pediatric Dentist](https://www.aapd.org/publications/find-a-pd/) - [AAE: Knocked Out Teeth](https://www.aae.org/patients/dental-symptoms/knocked-out-teeth/) - [AAE: Traumatic Dental Injuries](https://www.aae.org/patients/dental-symptoms/traumatic-dental-injuries/) - [AAP (HealthyChildren.org): First Aid for a Knocked-Out Permanent Tooth](https://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/injuries-emergencies/Pages/First-Aid-for-a-Knocked-Out-Permanent-Tooth.aspx) - [ADA (MouthHealthy): Dental Emergencies](https://www.mouthhealthy.org/all-topics-a-z/dental-emergencies) - [ADA (MouthHealthy): Pediatric Dentistry](https://www.mouthhealthy.org/all-topics-a-z/pediatric-dentistry-odontopediatria) - [American Association of Orthodontists: What Is an Orthodontic Emergency?](https://aaoinfo.org/whats-trending/what-is-an-orthodontic-emergency/) - [Children’s Hospital Colorado: Tooth Injury](https://www.childrenscolorado.org/conditions-and-advice/conditions-and-symptoms/symptoms/tooth-injury/) - [Seattle Children’s: Mouth Injury](https://www.seattlechildrens.org/conditions/a-z/mouth-injury/) - [HRSA: How to Find Low-Cost Dental Care](https://www.hrsa.gov/oral-health/how-to-find-dental-care) More guides: https://summerground.com/guides/pediatric-dentists-sacramento.md, https://summerground.com/guides/special-needs-dentists-los-angeles.md, https://summerground.com/guides/infant-swim-lessons.md. All of them: https://summerground.com/guides.md.