West U Location
Office Hours
Mon-Thurs: 8:00AM – 4:30PM
Friday: 8:00AM - 1:00PM
Houston Pediatric Oral Emergencies
Call immediately
For calls after regular business hours, follow the prompts to reach our emergency call line.
If your child's injury is life-threatening or it is after our office hours, please call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.
What to Do In a Dental Emergency
The information on this page is for immediate first-aid purposes only.
The guidance you read here is not a substitute for professional medical or dental evaluation. A prompt examination is crucial to prevent infection, manage pain, and ensure the best possible outcome for your child.
Please call our office at (713) 242-1288 to speak with our team about next steps for any dental injury.
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.
A note on comfort & pain relief
Once you've taken the initial steps, your focus is on keeping your child calm and comfortable.
If your child is experiencing discomfort, you can give them an appropriate children’s dose of acetaminophen or ibuprofen.
A popsicle may help sooth sore gums or teeth. Feel free to reward their bravery.
Common Emergencies Treated by Our Dentists
Dentini Pediatric Dentistry handles all types of infant, child, and teen dental emergencies at all of our Houston office locations.
Remember, always call and consult a medical professional.
The information on this page is for immediate first-aid purposes only. It is not a substitute for a medical evaluation. A prompt examination is crucial to prevent infection, manage pain, and ensure the best possible outcome for your child.
A hard hit to the mouth
aka,
Dental Concussion
An injury that left teeth intact but sore and tender.
What to do right now:
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.
Broken, chipped, or cracked teeth
aka,
Dental Fracture
When part of a tooth breaks or splits from an injury or from biting something hard.
What to do right now:
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.
Displaced teeth
aka,
Dental Luxation
When a tooth is knocked out of its normal position but still attached in the gums.
What to do right now:
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.
What to do right now:
Don’t try to pull it back down.
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.
Knocked out tooth
aka,
Dental Avulsion
When a tooth has completely come out of the mouth.
What to do right now:
Find the tooth immediately.
If it's an adult tooth, avoid touching the "root" area that was attached in the gums.
Skip soap or scrubbing. Rinse gently saline or milk.
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.
Toothache
aka,
Odontalgia
Pain in or around a tooth, often from a cavity, infection, or injury.
What to do right now:
Rinse mouth with warm salt water.
Stick to soft foods while pain is present.
Call us at (713) 242-1288 so we can get to the bottom of the 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.
Not sure if it's an emergency?
Call us and ask. We can discuss your symptoms, advise you on next steps, and let you know if it’s time to head to the emergency room.
Call our office at (713) 242-1288
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
This page was written by the Dentini team and medically reviewed by Dr. Elizabeth Brisceno, Board-Certified Pediatric Dentist, on November 10 2025.