Pediatric Dental Emergencies in Wichita, KS
Dental emergency? Call 316-681-3228
If your child has knocked out a permanent tooth, get to us or to an emergency room within the hour. Time matters more than anything else you will read on this page.
For everything else, take a breath. Most childhood dental injuries look far worse than they are, and most can wait a few hours for proper care. Below is what to do right now for the most common emergencies, and how to tell the difference between something urgent and something that can wait until morning.
We reserve time for emergencies every day at all three of our offices in Wichita and Derby.
Why Choose Us
- We have six talented pediatric dentists
- We have an amazing team who love small faces and big smiles
- Parents love the fun and positive experience for their kids
What to do right now
A knocked-out permanent tooth
This is the one true race against the clock.
During your child’s exam, our pediatric dentists will thoroughly assess:
- Find the tooth and pick it up by the crown, the chewing surface. Do not touch the root.
- If it is dirty, rinse it gently with milk or saline for a few seconds. Do not scrub it, do not use soap, and do not dry it.
- If your child is old enough to cooperate, place the tooth back in the socket and have them bite gently on a clean cloth to hold it there.
- If you cannot reinsert it, put the tooth in a cup of milk. Milk is far better than water. Saliva works if there is no milk.
- Call us at 316-681-3228 and head our way. A tooth reinserted within 30 to 60 minutes has a real chance of surviving.
A knocked-out baby tooth is different. Do not try to put a baby tooth back in. Reinserting it can damage the permanent tooth developing underneath. Control the bleeding with gentle pressure and call us so we can check the socket and the adjacent teeth.
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A chipped or broken tooth
Rinse the mouth with warm water. Apply a cold compress to the outside of the cheek to control swelling. Save any pieces you can find and bring them with you. Call us the same day, even if your child says it does not hurt, because a fracture can extend into the nerve without immediate pain.
A toothache
Rinse with warm water and check gently for food lodged between the teeth. Use a cold compress on the outside of the cheek. Give age-appropriate pain medication following the label for your child’s weight. Call us, because persistent pain in a child usually means decay that has reached the nerve.
Dr. Stephen P. Moore
Dr. David J. Brown
Dr. Trey K. Anderson
Dr. Amrita Khemka
Dr. Kristal Raya
Dr. Kelsey Martinez
A cut lip, tongue, or cheek
Clean the area gently and apply firm pressure with clean gauze to stop bleeding. Use a cold compress to limit swelling. If bleeding does not stop after 10 to 15 minutes of steady pressure, go to an emergency room.
Swelling of the face or jaw
Facial swelling can indicate a spreading infection and should be treated as urgent. Call us immediately. If the swelling affects your child’s breathing, swallowing, or vision, or if it comes with a fever, go to an emergency room first.
Something stuck between the teeth
Try gentle flossing. If it does not come free, stop. Do not use a pin, a knife, or anything sharp. Call us and we will remove it safely.
Not sure what you are looking at? Call 316-681-3228 and we will talk it through with you.
When to go to an emergency room instead
Come to us for teeth. Go to an ER for anything beyond them. Specifically, go to an emergency room or call 911 if your child has:
- A suspected broken jaw
- A head injury, loss of consciousness, vomiting, or confusion after the injury
- Bleeding that will not stop after 15 minutes of firm pressure
- Swelling that affects breathing or swallowing
- An injury from a significant fall or a car accident
Head injury takes priority over dental injury every time. Get the head checked first, then call us about the tooth.
What counts as an emergency and what can wait
Parents ask us this often, and the honest answer is that we would rather you call and be told it can wait than sit at home wondering.
Call us the same day for: a knocked-out tooth of any kind, a tooth pushed out of position, a fractured tooth, facial swelling, ongoing pain that does not respond to over-the-counter relief, or bleeding that keeps returning.
It can usually wait until the next business day for: a small chip with no pain, a lost filling with no pain, a loose baby tooth that is bothering your child, or food caught between teeth that is uncomfortable but not painful.
It is not an emergency, but do mention it: a baby tooth that came out on its own, or sensitivity to cold that passes quickly.
-Susanna D.
Emergency care at three locations
We see emergency patients at our Northeast Wichita, West Wichita, and Derby offices. We accept KanCare and most major dental insurance!
If you are unsure whether what you are looking at is an emergency, call us at 316-681-3228. We would rather answer the question than have you wait.
Frequently Asked Questions
Pick the tooth up by the crown, never the root. Rinse it gently with milk or saline if dirty, then either place it back in the socket or store it in a cup of milk. Get to a dentist within 30 to 60 minutes. Do not scrub the tooth or let it dry out.
No. Reinserting a baby tooth can damage the permanent tooth developing underneath it. Control the bleeding with gentle pressure and call us so we can examine the socket and the surrounding teeth.
Call us the same day even if your child is not in pain. A chip can extend into the nerve without hurting immediately, and treating it early is simpler than treating an infection later.
Go to an ER for a suspected broken jaw, a head injury, loss of consciousness, vomiting, bleeding that will not stop after 15 minutes of pressure, or swelling that affects breathing or swallowing. Head injuries are always assessed first.
Yes. If your child has a dental emergency and you do not have a pediatric dentist, call us at 316-681-3228.
