Emergency Kid’s Dentist – McKinney, TX 

Help Them Maintain Good Oral Hygiene

Depending on the age of your child, their manual dexterity when it comes to brushing and flossing their teeth is often in need of improvement. This is because they have yet to reach the age in which they are mature and able enough to clean the hard-to-reach areas, such as their molars, properly and effectively. As a result, their teeth can become prone to dental caries (cavities) and tooth decay. This is why, as parents, it is important that you start incorporating good oral habits at an early age. Nighttime brushing is especially important to make sure that their teeth don’t have any residual food that can contribute to the development of dental decay during that nightly 8-12 hours of sleep. Whether it is helping them brush and floss their teeth or supervising them during their morning and nighttime routines, making sure they are properly caring for their smile is crucial.

During their stages of development, children will go through phases which require different approaches to motivating or exciting them about brushing and flossing.

• Start early: Great oral hygiene habits can be developed from infancy. After you feed a baby, you can use a clean cloth, silicone finger brush, or even a soft-bristle toothbrush to clean and massage their gums after feeding. For kids with teeth, your fingers will think you if you graduate your child to an age-appropriate soft or extra-soft bristle toothbrush.
• To(oth) paste or not to(oth) paste? Skip the toothpaste if no teeth are present. Once teeth first start to erupt, you can start using toothpaste. A small smear the size of a grain of rice is appropriate for children under three years old. Between three to six, you can make the transition to a dollop of toothpaste the size of a pea depending on how your little one does with learning to spit-out the toothpaste. Remember, children should spit out and not swallow excess toothpaste after brushing.
• Make this time fun and keep things positive: Encourage them with positive words and affection. If you have a chore/activity board for positive reinforcement, give them a star for a job well-done!
• Brush the grooves to the groove: Try some relaxing background music to lighten the mood and wind them down for bedtime brushing. This also helps parents and kids by allowing us to track the amount of time spent brushing. Put the songs on repeat just in case so that your kiddo won’t think that the stop of the song is necessarily time to stop brushing.
• Show them how it’s done: Children eventually want to exercise their independence. Encourage them to brush on their own next to you while you brush your own teeth. They’ll learn from your technique. After you both finish brushing, get them to let you touch-up any spots they may have missed.
• How well and how often are key: Quality of the brushing in terms of making sure that the toothbrush reaches all surfaces of the teeth is more important than brushing for a set period of time. Brushing more frequently prevents the build-up of food and debris on the teeth that over time can cause decay to develop. Encourage your kids to brush after their afternoon snacks. This is a great way to add another brushing to their schedule as well as allow them a little independence to practice their technique on their own. Any brushing is better than no brushing!
• Floss like a boss: Usually baby teeth erupt with some visible space between them. Over time, the spaces normally consolidate or close up as teeth drift closer to one another, especially between molars. If you can’t see light or some pink gingiva between the teeth that means the space is large enough to trap food but not allow a toothbrush in to clean those areas between the teeth. You can use floss sticks, or regular string floss, but definitely be the first to introduce this to your children and make it a routine you do together. Start practicing and learning to floss before the spaces close up to tight as this make it easier to get the floss between the teeth and ease your kiddo into the idea of using the jump rope for cleaning their teeth.

Keep Hard, Crunchy Foods Out of Sight

The typical kid loves candy of all types, but hard candies such as lollipops can be especially harmful if they bite or chew them. While they may taste good, these candies can lead to chipped, broken teeth and a trip to see their emergency pediatric dentist in McKinney. If you want their teeth to remain fully intact, it is best to minimize these types of treats, instruct them not bite or chew the hard candies, and watch your little one closely when they’re enjoying them so as to prevent potential damage. Also, never allow your child to chew on ice or inanimate objects. Teeth with existing fillings, restorations, or decay can be especially prone to fracture due to a frequent ice-chewing habit due to the hard forces and contraction of the tooth surface due to the temperature change caused by the ice. Their pearly whites are not meant to sustain this type of pressure, resulting in fractures and more serious damage to their primary teeth.

Protect Their Teeth with a Custom Mouthguard

If your son or daughter enjoys playing sports, give yourself greater peace of mind by making sure they are wearing a mouthguard before they take to the court or field. Both multiplayer contact sports, as well as solo activities like biking or gymnastics, can wreak havoc on a child’s smile. Whether it is a hard-hitting tackle that results in a knocked-out tooth or a sudden fall off the balance beam that causes a busted lip and shifted tooth, a mouthguard can minimize the impact and keep their teeth and soft oral tissues from serious injury.

But mouthguards are not only for sports. They are also beneficial if your little one is prone to bruxism (teeth grinding/clenching). Mouthguards can also be utilized to address issues of sleep disordered breathing, early dental crowding, and growth and development issues during early stages of dentition. By talking to Dr. Justin or Dr. Sage about having a custom-made mouthguard created for your child, their teeth and jaw will be better protected while they sleep, alleviating any potential pain or wear and tear.

Never Let Your Child Use Their Teeth As Tools

If you ever notice that your child is trying to open a package or container with their teeth, stop them immediately. This tip is not only important for children but also for adults. Teeth are designed to chew and tear through food, not objects. We’ve seen and dealt with emergencies from children opening anything from yogurt pouches to removing bottle caps with their teeth. Try your best to discourage these habits. Instead, make sure you can jump into action and use scissors or another appropriate tool to open the item for your child.

What Counts As a Dental Emergency?

• Severe Pain- Try Tylenol first to control pain or discomfort. Constant, throbbing, or spontaneous pain shouldn’t be ignored. 
• Dental Abscess- Bumps and swellings on the gums can be a sign of a dental infection. If fever is associated with the presence of dental abscess this should be evaluated immediately. 
• Facial Swelling- This is a sign of serious infection and needs to be addressed immediately. 
• Fractured or knocked-out teeth- If an adult tooth is knocked out, time is of the essence. 1) Gently hold the tooth by the crown - normal tooth portion, NOT the root - and RINSE GENTLY in cool water. 2) Try to place the tooth back in the socket where it was before and hold it in place with clean gauze or towel. Alternatively, if you are not comfortable with putting the tooth back in its socket, you can store the tooth in a container of cold milk or your child’s saliva. Make sure the tooth is completely covered in the storage medium to prevent drying out. 3) Take your child and tooth to the pediatric dentist IMMEDIATELY.
• Tooth fracture - Depending on the severity of the fracture, we can consult you and determine the best course of action. — — We remain here to help! 

Can My Child Receive Sedation Dentistry?

At Sprout Dentistry for Kids, Dr. Justin and Dr. Sage are pleased to offer sedation dentistry for children who experience dental anxiety or who need a more complex treatment or procedure. All sedation options are tailored to every patient. Whether it is nitrous oxide, oral conscious sedation, or general anesthesia we will make sure your child is safe and comfortable when dealing with a dental emergency.

Most commonly, children with minor dental anxiety may receive nitrous oxide sedation, whereas, moderate-to-severe dental phobia or an involved procedure usually requires oral conscious sedation. Only in instances where a child has extreme dental anxiety, special needs, or is undergoing a complex dental procedure will we use general anesthesia.

Can You Help My Child Who Has Special Needs?

Dr. Justin and Dr. Sage are both experienced and board-certified pediatric dentists who can treat all types of smiles. If your child is experiencing a dental emergency, this can cause them to become more frantic and uneasy when arriving at our office. No matter what type of special needs your child may have, it is our job to create a warm and welcoming environment so that your child is comfortable. With advanced training to help special needs children, Dr. Justin and Dr. Sage can provide your child with the care they need, especially when they need it most.

When Should I Take My Child to the ER Instead of the Dentist’s Office?

While it is natural to think that the emergency room is the appropriate place to take your child should an injury occur to their mouth, there are only three reasons you should consider the ER over your child’s dentist’s office:

• A dislocated, fractured, or broken jaw
• Continuous, uncontrolled bleeding that hasn’t stopped in 10 minutes
• Signs of serious infection, such as facial swelling approaching the eye, fever, fatigue, difficulty breathing or swallowing