Pediatric Dental Emergencies in Novato

If a permanent tooth was knocked out

Minutes matter. Find the tooth and pick it up by the crown (the white part) — never the root. If it's dirty, rinse it gently with milk or saline; don't scrub it. If your child is old enough to cooperate, place it back in the socket and have them bite on clean gauze. If not, keep it moist in a cup of cold milk (or your child's saliva) and call us immediately at (415) 408-5775. A tooth replanted within about 30 minutes has the best chance of being saved.

If a baby tooth was knocked out

Baby teeth are not reimplanted — putting one back can damage the adult tooth developing underneath. Stay calm, press a clean cloth on the gum to stop any bleeding, and call us the same day so we can check the area and make sure nothing else was hurt. Bring the tooth with you if you have it.

Toothache

Rinse with warm water and gently floss around the sore tooth to clear any trapped food. A cold compress on the cheek can help with swelling. An age-appropriate pain reliever is fine if your child needs it — but never place aspirin directly on the gums or tooth. A toothache that lasts more than a day, wakes your child at night, or comes with fever or facial swelling needs a same-day call.

Chipped or broken tooth

Rinse your child's mouth with warm water and save any pieces you can find. A cold compress keeps swelling down. Even a small chip deserves a visit — a crack can be deeper than it looks — and a large break that hurts or bleeds should be seen the same day.

Bitten lip, tongue, or other mouth injury

Clean the area gently and press with a clean cloth or gauze until the bleeding stops; a little ice helps with swelling. Mouths bleed a lot and most small cuts heal quickly on their own. Call us if the cut is deep or gaping, or head to the ER if the bleeding won't stop after 10 minutes of steady pressure.

Emergency room or dentist?

The ER is for the life-threatening signs listed at the top of this page — uncontrolled bleeding, trouble breathing or swallowing, a possible broken jaw, or a serious head injury. Almost everything else — knocked-out or broken teeth, toothaches, swelling — is treated faster and better by a pediatric dentist. When in doubt, use the symptom checker above or call us.

After hours

Our office is open Monday–Thursday, 8:30am–5:00pm. Outside those hours, leave a voicemail at (415) 408-5775 — and if your child needs to be seen the same day, UCSF provides emergency pediatric dental care in San Francisco (the symptom checker above has the details and phone numbers). For life-threatening signs, always call 911 or go straight to the nearest emergency room.