Patient video
Welcoming and Wonderful Practice
A patient shares the welcoming atmosphere and positive experience they found at our Port Dover office.
★★★★★
Port Dover Family Dentistry
Emergency Dental Care for Children in Walsingham
A child with a knocked tooth, toothache or swollen face needs a calm plan. Walsingham parents can learn what to do first and when to call our Port Dover office or 911.
New patients welcomeCDCP accepted
Let’s get you smiling
Book an appointment
Tell us how we can help. Our team will follow up to confirm a time.
Serving Walsingham households from our Port Dover office
See every dental service for WalsinghamStay calm, then call
Quick, simple steps help a child through a dental emergency.
Children bump, trip and tumble, and their teeth sometimes take the hit. A baby tooth may be pushed into the gum, an adult front tooth may chip or come out, or a toothache may suddenly flare at bedtime. Staying calm helps your child settle, and knowing whether the tooth is a baby tooth or an adult tooth guides what you do next.
Walsingham parents can phone our Port Dover office to describe the injury or symptoms. The team will advise how quickly your child should be seen. Medical emergencies come first, so the hospital is the right place for head injuries or breathing problems before any dental care.
Assess quickly
Check your child as a whole, then look at the teeth.
Rule out a medical emergency
After a fall or knock, watch for signs of concussion such as confusion, vomiting, unusual sleepiness or headache. Check for cuts to the face, lips and tongue, and for difficulty opening or closing the mouth. If any of these are serious, seek emergency medical care first. A dental injury can be addressed once your child is safe.
Identify the tooth involved
Try to work out whether the injured tooth is a baby tooth or an adult tooth. Adult front teeth usually come in around six to eight years of age and look larger with slightly ridged edges. This matters because the treatment, particularly for a knocked-out tooth, differs between the two.
Common emergencies
Different situations need different first aid.
Knocked-out, loose or broken teeth
For a knocked-out adult tooth, hold it by the crown, rinse briefly if dirty and, if possible, gently place it back in the socket or keep it in milk, and call immediately. Do not replant a baby tooth. For chipped or loose teeth, rinse with water, apply a cold compress and save any fragments.
Toothache and facial swelling
A toothache may come from a cavity, food stuck between teeth or infection. Rinse with warm water, gently floss and give pain relief suitable for your child’s age as directed on the label. Swelling of the face or jaw, fever or your child seeming unwell needs prompt attention, and spreading swelling may require emergency care.
At the office
The team will explain each step to you and your child.
Gentle assessment for scared kids
Children are often frightened after an injury. The team will speak calmly, explain what they are doing in simple words and work at a pace your child can manage. Holding a parent’s hand or a comfort item can help. The dentist examines the injured area and may take X-rays to check roots and developing teeth.
Treatment and follow-up plans
Treatment depends on the injury and your child’s age. It might involve smoothing a chip, bonding, repositioning a tooth, placing a splint or simply monitoring. The dentist will explain the plan and the signs to watch for. Follow-up visits are often needed because injured teeth can change over weeks and months.
Afterwards
Keep an eye on the injured tooth in the weeks ahead.
Soft foods and gentle cleaning
Offer soft, cool foods for a few days and avoid biting with the injured teeth. Keep brushing gently to keep the area clean. Pain relief suitable for your child’s age may help. If a splint was placed, follow the instructions about eating and cleaning around it. Limit rough play until the dentist says the tooth has settled.
Watch for changes over time
Contact the office if the tooth darkens, becomes more loose, the gum swells or develops a pimple-like bump, or pain returns. These may signal nerve damage or infection. Keep all review appointments, even if your child seems fine. For active children, ask about a mouthguard to reduce the risk of future injuries.
Planning your appointment
Getting help quickly from Walsingham
Call our Port Dover office as soon as you can after your child’s dental injury or sudden pain. Explain what happened, your child’s age and whether the tooth is baby or adult. The team will advise on urgency.
Bring any tooth or fragments, stored as advised, and a list of your child’s medications and allergies to the appointment.
Port Dover Family Dentistry
697 Norfolk County Hwy 6, Unit 2, Port Dover, ON N0A 1N2519-583-2929Directions to our office (opens in a new tab)Office hours & contact detailsBefore you book
Parents’ emergency questions
Have a question about your situation? Our team can help you plan a visit.
Should I put my child’s knocked-out tooth back in?
Only if it is an adult tooth, and only if you can do so gently. Never replant a baby tooth. If unsure, keep the tooth in milk and call the office right away for guidance.
What if my child’s baby tooth was pushed up into the gum?
Call the office for an assessment. The dentist will check the tooth and the adult tooth developing behind it. Some pushed-in baby teeth move back down on their own, while others need treatment.
When is a toothache an emergency?
Severe pain, swelling, fever or pain that keeps your child awake should be assessed promptly. Swelling affecting breathing or swallowing requires immediate emergency medical care.
My child chipped a tooth but seems fine. Do we need to come in?
Yes, it is still worth having the tooth checked. A chip can hide a crack or nerve injury. The dentist can smooth or repair the tooth and check for damage you cannot see.
How can we prevent future dental injuries?
Use mouthguards for sports, supervise young children on play equipment and keep up with checkups. Children with protruding front teeth may be at higher risk, so ask the dentist about protection.
Injury guides worth bookmarking
Children’s Dentistry →Knocked-Out Tooth Treatment →
A knocked-out adult tooth is time-sensitive. Walsingham patients can learn how to handle, store and possibly replant it, and why a baby tooth should never be put back.
Dental Trauma Treatment →
A fall, farm mishap or sports hit can loosen, push or break teeth. Walsingham patients can learn what to do first and how injured teeth are assessed and followed in Port Dover.