My young son just recently started complaining about a back tooth bothering him. I tried to take a look and it doesn’t seem like there is anything visibly wrong. We typically go to a pediatric dentist, but he is on vacation. Since I’m not sure there is really anything wrong, can we wait for our regular dentist to look at it? Are there emergency children’s dentists and if so, how do I find one? — Sheila in Illinois
Sheila,
It’s often hard for kids to really communicate exactly how something feels or what is wrong – they just know that it hurts. If your child is complaining of pain, pay attention and get it checked out because with many of the distractions these days (video games, etc) sometimes kids can ignore or “forget” about a problem until it becomes a bigger one.
When it comes to teeth, there could be an issue under the surface that you can’t see. Things like infection, a broken or cracked tooth… or even a very small cavity that has embedded deep into the tooth. An appointment with a dentist and possibly some x-rays will be the best help in determining if it truly is a dental emergency.
There are likely several emergency dentists available in your area – however, finding one that specializes in kids might not be as easy. The simplest thing would be to just call and ask if they treat kids. You might also see if there is another pediatric dentist who will see him just one time.
This blog post is brought to you by Des Moines cosmetic dentist, Dr. Phelan Thomas. For more information on the services he provides, please visit his Des Moines cosmetic dentist website.