West U Location
Office Hours
Mon-Thurs: 8:00AM – 4:30PM
Friday: 8:00AM - 1:00PM
Emergency Dentist for Kids in Houston, TX
Fast, gentle urgent dental care at our Houston Heights & West U locations
24/7 Emergency Call Line
After hours? Just follow the prompts to reach our emergency line.
For life-threatening emergencies, call 911 or head to the nearest emergency room. Call us after to coordinate follow-up care.
Dentini Pediatric Dentistry offers emergency dentistry for kids & teens at our Houston Heights and West U locations.
Deep breaths, parents. We are here to help.
Call us right away. Our pediatric dental specialists can talk you through your child's situation in real time.
We can assess your child's injury or issue over the phone, give step-by-step instructions for what to do right now, then guide you on whether you should come to our office, wait for morning, or head straight to the ER.
What is a Pediatric Dental Emergency?
A dental emergency is any mouth injury or condition that requires immediate treatment to stop bleeding, relieve severe pain, save a tooth, or prevent an infection.
Dental emergencies usually involve pain that's too intense to wait, or unusual swelling or bleeding in the mouth. Immediate professional attention is often needed to avoid permanent damage or serious health complications.
Young children often struggle to describe the location or intensity of their problems. Pediatric dental specialists can interpret physical signs and behavioral cues while using child-friendly methods to help calm kids during a crisis.
First Steps for a Child's Dental Emergency
The steps below are for general first-aid. Scheduling a formal pediatric emergency dental exam helps ensure you address the root cause and any unseen impacts from unexpected pain or mouth injuries.
1. Cool
Apply a cold compress to the outside of your child's cheek to reduce swelling.
2. Save
Place any knocked-out teeth in a small container of milk or saliva.
Handling comfort & pain relief
Once you've taken the initial steps, your focus is on keeping your child calm and comfortable until they can be seen by a dentist.
You can give them an appropriate children’s dose of acetaminophen or ibuprofen. A popsicle may help sooth sore gums or teeth.
Common Pediatric Dental Emergencies We Treat in Houston
Dentini Pediatric Dentistry provides urgent care for infant, child, and teens for a variety of dental emergencies. The list below includes some of the most common issues we handle.
If your child is experiencing any of these issues, call for a next-available dental exam. We've included tips for immediate first aid, but you should always have a dentist check for infection, advise on any ongoing manage pain, and help ensure the best possible outcome for your child's oral health.
Severe toothaches or sensitivity
aka,
Odontalgia
Pain in or around a tooth, often from a cavity, infection, or injury.
Care tips before your visit:
If able, rinse mouth with warm salt water
Stick to soft foods while pain is present
Call us at (713) 242-1288 so we can determine and treat the source of pain
About this injury:
Most kids will face a toothache at some point. The Journal of the American Dental Association shows about 1 in 4 children will have one by age five, and half by age 9.
A knocked-out tooth
aka,
Dental Avulsion
When a tooth has completely come out of the mouth.
Care tips before your visit:
Try to locate the knocked-out tooth, cleaning any dirt or debris by rinsing gently in saline or milk
If it's one of their permanent teeth, avoid touching the "root" area that was attached in the gums
Call us at (713) 242-1288 to get seen right away
About this injury:
Big mouth injuries are most common around ages 7–12. According to the National Library of Medicine about 1 in 6 involve a completely knocked-out tooth. Accidental falls are the most frequent cause.
Broken, chipped, or cracked teeth
aka,
Dental Fracture
When part of a tooth breaks or splits from an injury or from biting something hard.
Care tips before your visit:
Save any broken pieces of the tooth in milk or saliva to bring with you to your appointment
If the tooth edge is sharp, cover with sugarless gum or dental wax to prevent lip or tongue cuts
Call us at (713) 242-1288 to get the break evaluated and discuss repairs
About this injury:
Cracks that seem small can create big problems. Experts at the Cleveland Clinic note even a hairline fracture or small chip can cause sensitivity to tempuratures or become infected.
A hard hit to the mouth
aka,
Dental Concussion
An injury that left teeth intact but sore and tender.
Care tips before your visit:
Watch for concussion symptoms like dizziness, nausea, confusion, or unusual sleepiness; if any appear, head straight to the emergency room
Call us at (713) 242-1288 to schedule a dental-specific follow up to check jaw and potential hidden injuries to teeth
About this injury:
Research in The Journal of the American Dental Association shows children with dental trauma often need to be checked for impact on the brain or other parts of the body. When you call us, we'll ask questions to help you figure out whether an emergency room visit is needed first.
Displaced teeth
aka,
Dental Luxation
When a tooth is knocked out of its normal position but still attached in the gums.
Care tips before your visit:
Have your child bite gently on a clean cloth or gauze to keep the tooth stable
Apply a cold compress for swelling and call us immediately
Do not try to force the tooth back into place
Call us at (713) 242-1288 to get in quickly for an exam
About this injury:
Even if the tooth looks stable, follow-up is imporant. Teeth knocked out of line may impact alignment of permanent teeth. Some cases call for a baby tooth extraction or orthodontics to ensure your child's adult teeth grow in happy and healthy.
Tooth pushed into the gums
aka,
Dental Intrusion
When a tooth gets pushed back up into the gums.
Care tips before your visit:
Don’t try to pull it back down on your own
Have your child bite gently on a clean cloth or gauze to control bleeding
Even if it looks fine, call us at (713) 242-1288 to get checked for any impact on adult teeth or roots
About this injury:
Can be hard to prevent with toddlers and young children learning to walk. Reviews of research from the National Library of Medicine show about one-third of kids in the baby-tooth stage get a dental injury at some point, often from simple falls.
What If You're Not Sure if It's An Emergency Situation?
Call us to discuss. We'll ask questions about your child's symptoms, then advise you on next steps. Some issues can be handled with next-day or same-week appointments.
Call our office, or reach out after-hour emergency line, at (713) 242-1288
Meet Your Team
Our dental experts are certified and specialized in pediatric dental care. As parents themselves, our owners understand how scary it is to see your child in pain. We help both children and their family members feel safe and cared for throughout dental emergencies.
Gentle Emergency Care That Keeps Kids Comfortable
We're parents, too. Dentini specializes in the emotional needs of little patients, particularly when mouths are hurting most.
Your child will be given comfort and expert treatment. You'll get personalized guidance through your child's oral emergency, with clear follow-up steps.
Being educated and knowing what to do can be the difference between saving and losing a tooth.
Contact us right away if your child experiences a dental emergency. We encourage you to save our number in your phone: (713) 242-1288