As a parent, it’s scary when your child has intense tooth pain or dental injuries. You could easily start to panic or wonder what to do. However, there’s no reason to fear - just visit us at Weldon Dental of Rome. Dr. Leigh Weldon is a top-tier pediatric dentist and offers great emergency care. Working with her team, she’ll get your kiddo’s smile back on track. You’d then save yourself the time, money, and hassle of an ER visit. To learn more, keep reading or call us today!
Your child may feel nervous if they’ve never had urgent oral care. Still, you can rest easy; we’ve listed a quick rundown of how it works. So, here are some things to expect from a pediatric emergency dental visit:
Though dental emergencies vary, some kinds happen more often than others. Therefore, your child should see us if they suffer one. Our practice can fix many common (yet urgent) oral issues. So, don’t hesitate to contact us right away for help. We can help kids through any of the following problems:
In itself, your child’s emergency visit won’t be pricey (this covers the oral exam and treatment suggestions). The actual cost of their care, however, will depend on their unique needs. Different emergency services have varying expenses. So, see us quickly before the problem worsens and needs extensive work. If you’d like to learn more on the topic of price, then continue reading!
While one child may be visiting our Rome pediatric dentist because of persistent dental sensitivity, the next may be coming in for a last-minute appointment because they knocked-out a tooth during football practice. In fact, even two children visiting us because of a painful toothache may require different treatments. In short, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to emergency dentistry – how we intervene will depend on your child’s unique dental needs.
Dental insurance providers may cover the emergency exam, a portion of the cost of the necessary restorative care, or both! The only way to find out is to read through the fine print. Of course, that’s sometimes easier said than done with the unfamiliar jargon, which is why we recommend calling your provider directly or asking our Rome dental team for help. We’ll do our best to make the process of utilizing the available benefits a breeze.
Dental insurance isn’t the only way to make pediatric dental care more affordable; we also welcome flexible financing with CareCredit! With this financial solution, you don’t have to pay for the entire cost of your child’s care at once. Instead, you can choose a payment plan that works for you, and space out the cost over the course of several months. If you would like additional details about CareCredit, you can give us a call. If you’re ready to sign up, you can do so through our website!
Remember, some dental emergencies can be prevented. That’s why we encourage parents and their children to implement good habits, like brushing twice a day, wearing a mouthguard during sports, and getting a checkup and cleaning twice a year. This dramatically reduces the chances of your little one developing a cavity, damaging a restoration, or knocking out a tooth while participating in sports. We’re covering more ways to protect your child’s smile from harm in the next section, but you’re also welcome to get in touch with us if you’d like additional information on the topic!
Naturally, preventing a dental emergency is better than managing one. (The former scenario involves much less time and money.) Given this fact, teach your child good oral health habits early. Taking the right precautions makes them less likely to have urgent oral issues. In particular, make sure your kids:
It’s common for parents to assume that any pain – including dental pain – warrants a visit to the ER. Since hospitals don’t typically have dentists on staff, however, you shouldn’t bring them there for toothaches, loose restorations, and other dental emergencies. Instead, you should reserve visits to the ER for times when your child is experiencing potentially life-threatening symptoms, like extreme facial swelling, severe bleeding, and trouble breathing.
When your child brings any abnormal dental symptoms to your attention, like pain, it’s important to get a little more information so you can determine what the next best steps are. For example, is their discomfort dull and consistent or sharp and stabbing? If they describe a persistent, throbbing pain, then there’s a chance that an infection has developed, which warrants an immediate call to our Rome dental office.
If your child has something stuck between their teeth, you might be tempted to reach for a toothpick. Don’t! The sharp edge can push the debris further into position, wooden pieces can splinter off in their mouth, and the situation can turn deadly if it’s swallowed. That’s why we recommend taking a different approach: using warm saltwater to rinse their mouth before gently flossing between their teeth.
Since baby teeth are meant to come out, you might be wondering if you need to schedule an appointment with our emergency dentist if one falls out sooner than expected. The short answer is “yes,” especially if your child is in pain or their surrounding teeth and gums were damaged in the incident.
Important note: If your child has fractured their jaw or is bleeding uncontrollably, then take them to the ER right away.
If your child’s emergency exam isn’t until the morning, don’t worry – there are a few ways you can help alleviate their discomfort in the meantime so they can sleep soundly. That includes sticking to soft foods at dinner, using a cold compress for 10 minutes at a time, and taking OTC pain medication for children about 30 minutes before bed.
No, chipped teeth do not heal. To prevent the tooth from breaking further or an infection from developing, we strongly recommend reaching out to us to schedule an appointment for your child before the end of the week (or sooner if they are in pain).
Unfortunately, toothaches don’t go away on their own. In fact, if abnormal dental symptoms like dental pain are ignored, it’s very likely that the root of the problem will progress. There may even come a time when your child’s tooth can no longer be saved! So, don’t postpone scheduling an appointment with us.
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Weldon Dental of Rome can be found along Martha Berry Blvd NE, near the intersection of N 5th Ave and W 11th Street. We’re only minutes away from the Publix Super Market at Charles High Square, Atrium Health Floyd Medical Center, and Heritage Park. If you see Divine Salon & Spa or The Medicine Shoppe Pharmacy, you’re in the right place! We can’t wait to welcome you in soon and help you get started on a brighter, healthier smile.
