Dental First Aid
Following a Head or Mouth Injury:
- Calm the injured person.
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Check to determine the type of injury.
If serious, contact parent and arrange to take child to emergency room -
Check for knocked out tooth.
Find tooth and... -
If minor bleeding:
Apply direct pressure with sterile gauze or clean cloth
If bleeding doesn’t stop within ten minutes, contact parent and arrange to take child to emergency room. -
If bleeding profusely:
Contact parent and arrange for emergency services by an emergency squad or emergency room
ACTION PLAN
Knocked Out Tooth
- Find tooth – do not handle it by the roots.
- If it’s dirty, rinse tooth gently – don’t scrub or use antiseptic.
- For permanent tooth (age 5 and older): Gently place tooth back in socket; have child hold with finger or tissue. If you can’t easily replace tooth, place tooth in glass of milk.
- For primary or baby tooth (under age 5): Place tooth in glass of milk.
- If milk is unavailable, wrap tooth in clean wet cloth or gauze.
- Contact parent and arrange to TAKE CHILD AND TOOTH TO DENTIST IMMEDIATELY.
Loosened/Chipped Tooth
Clean the area with warm water.
- Find the chipped portion of the tooth.
- Avoid movement of tooth.
- Apply cold compress to face to minimize swelling
- Contact parent and arrange to take child and the tooth chip to dentist immediately.
Tooth Pushed Into Gums
- Wash area with warm water.
- Do not attempt to move tooth into correct position.
-
Contact parent and arrange to take child to dentist immediately.
Toothache
Injury to Lips, Tongue, Cheek
- Do not place aspirin on gum tissue of aching tooth (aspirin will burn tissue!)
- Contact parent and arrange to take child to dentist as soon as possible.
- Rinse affected area with warm water.
- Place cold compress over area to minimize swelling.
- If lip injury due to fall or if tooth chipped, contact parent and arrange to take child to dentist immediately (foreign matter lodged in lip may cause infection). See #2
Broken or Dislocated Jaw
- Immobilize jaw by placing a scarf, necktie, or towel under the chin and tying the ends on top of the head
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Contact parents and arrange to take child to emergency room for examination immediately.
EMERGENCY TELEPHONE NUMBERS: Arrange to have a dentist on call for weekend or evening emergencies.
