Call us now, then read the steps.

Knocked-out permanent tooth

Time matters — try to get to us within an hour.

1. Find the tooth. Pick it up by the crown (the white part), never the root.
2. If it's dirty, rinse gently with milk or saline for a few seconds. Don't scrub.
3. If you can, slip it back into the socket and have your child bite on a clean cloth to hold it.
4. If you can't, put it in a cup of cold milk. Water is a last resort. Don't let it dry out.
5. Call us on the way.

Chipped or broken tooth

1. Rinse mouth with warm water.
2. Save any pieces in milk or saline if you can find them.
3. Cold compress on the cheek for swelling.
4. Call us today. Small chips can usually wait until tomorrow; large ones can't.

Toothache

1. Rinse with warm salt water.
2. Floss gently around the sore tooth to remove anything trapped.
3. Children's ibuprofen at the dose on the bottle, with food. Never put aspirin on the gum.
4. Call us if the pain lasts more than a day or wakes your child up.

Bitten lip, tongue, or cheek

1. Press a clean, damp cloth on the cut for 10 minutes without peeking.
2. Cold pack on the outside for swelling.
3. Call us — or go to an ER — if bleeding doesn't stop, the cut is deep, or it gapes open.

What to expect when you call

We'll ask your child's age, what happened, and when. We try to see urgent cases the same day. If we can't, we'll tell you exactly where to go and what to say.