Emergency Dental For Kids In Arvada, CO

Permanent tooth knocked out? Put it back in the socket now and hold it there. You have about 15 minutes before the odds drop. Then call us.

Do this right now

Knocked-out permanent (adult) tooth

Reimplant it immediately, aim for under 15 minutes.

Pick it up by the crown (white part), never the root.
If dirty, rinse 10 seconds in milk or saliva, not tap water, and don't scrub.
Ease it back in the socket the right way round; have your child bite gently on clean gauze.
Can't reinsert it? Keep it moist every second: a Save-A-Tooth (Hank's solution) kit is best, then cold milk, then saliva tucked in the cheek. Water damages the root.
Call us and head in. Dry time is what kills the tooth.

Knocked-out baby tooth

Do not put it back in. This is the mistake most first-aid pages get wrong.

Reinserting a baby tooth can damage the permanent tooth forming underneath, so leave the socket alone.
Control bleeding with gentle pressure from clean gauze.
Cold compress on the cheek for swelling.
Call us, and bring the tooth if you find it so we can confirm nothing is left behind.

Something stuck, or a braces problem

Gently floss out anything wedged between teeth, never use anything sharp.
A poking wire can be tucked with a pencil eraser and covered with orthodontic wax.
A loose bracket usually isn't urgent, save the pieces and call. Never cut a wire yourself.

Toothache, swelling, or fever

Treat the pain, then call, swelling and fever mean infection.

For pain, the ADA's guideline for kids is ibuprofen or naproxen, alone or with acetaminophen, at the label dose for age and weight.
Avoid codeine and tramadol, both are contraindicated under age 12.
Face swelling, fever, or a bump on the gum is a same-day call, not a wait-and-see.

Bleeding or a cut lip, tongue, or cheek

Clean the area and press with gauze for 10-15 minutes.
Cold compress for swelling. Mouth cuts bleed a lot and usually settle fast.
Bleeding that won't stop after 15 minutes of steady pressure is an ER trip.

Broken or chipped tooth

Save the pieces in milk and call us the same day.

Rinse the mouth with warm water; cold compress for swelling.
A small chip can still expose the nerve, don't wait to see if it hurts.
If a permanent piece is intact, we can sometimes bond it back on.

Is this an emergency? What to do in the next 5 minutes

Permanent tooth knocked out
Do this now: Reimplant at the scene, or store in milk; call us
How fast: Under 15 min
Baby tooth knocked out
Do this now: Do NOT reinsert; gauze for bleeding; call us
How fast: Same day
Tooth pushed loose or out of position
Do this now: Don't force it back; call us
How fast: Within hours
Broken or chipped tooth, in pain
Do this now: Save pieces in milk; pain reliever; call us
How fast: Same day
Toothache with face swelling or fever
Do this now: Ibuprofen or naproxen; call us (likely infection)
How fast: Same day
Swelling closing an eye, or trouble breathing or swallowing
Do this now: Call 911 or go to the ER
How fast: Now
Bleeding that won't stop after 15 min of pressure
Do this now: Go to the ER
How fast: Now
Dental trauma with a head injury or possible broken jaw
Do this now: Call 911 or go to the ER
How fast: Now

When to skip the dentist and go to the ER

Most kids' dental emergencies belong in a dental chair, not an ER waiting room, hospitals rarely have a pediatric dentist on site and usually just manage the pain. But go straight to 911 or the nearest ER for swelling that's closing an eye or affecting breathing or swallowing, bleeding you can't control, a possible broken jaw, or any head injury alongside the dental trauma.

After hours with a true emergency and no way to reach us, Children's Hospital Colorado runs weekday walk-in dental urgent care, and its ER is the backstop.

Why more Arvada kids are landing in the ER for tooth pain

175%

That's how much nontraumatic dental visits, decay, infections, abscesses, not accidents, climbed at Children's Hospital Colorado between 2010 and 2025. Nationally, ER visits for tooth problems in kids 14 and under rose nearly 58% in recent years.

Most of it started as a small cavity no one caught in time. An ER can dull the pain; it can't fix the tooth. Calling a pediatric dentist early is how a routine visit stays a filling instead of becoming a 2 a.m. abscess.

Why a pediatric specialist for an emergency

A scared, hurting child is not a small adult. Dr. Alison Grover completed her pediatric dental residency at UCLA, is a board-certified diplomate in pediatric dentistry, and holds a child-psychology degree from Wellesley College.

Every treatment room is plumbed for nitrous oxide, we offer all levels of sedation from mild to deep, and we use a soft-tissue laser and kid-sized instruments so care is faster and gentler. Kids pick a movie and a flavor while we work, which is a big part of keeping an anxious child calm. Families from Arvada, Broomfield, and Westminster already bring their kids here.

Prevent the next emergency

Two habits stop most of what we treat. First, a custom mouthguard for contact and wheel sports, hockey, football, skateboarding, and mountain biking are the common culprits here in Colorado. Second, a checkup every 6 months: a cavity can go from invisible to abscess on a baby tooth in about that long. Keep kids off chewing ice and using teeth as scissors, and you've handled the rest.

FAQs

My child knocked out a baby tooth. Do I put it back?

No. Never reinsert a baby tooth, it can damage the permanent tooth developing underneath. Save it, control the bleeding with gentle pressure, and call us.

Should I go to the ER or a dentist?

For most dental emergencies, a pediatric dentist, ERs rarely have one and usually only manage pain. Go to the ER for uncontrolled bleeding, trouble breathing or swallowing, a possible broken jaw, or a head injury with the dental trauma.

What can I give my child for pain right now?

Ibuprofen or naproxen, alone or combined with acetaminophen, at the label dose for your child's age and weight. Avoid codeine and tramadol for children under 12. This follows the 2023 ADA guideline for pediatric dental pain.

How long is the window for a knocked-out permanent tooth?

Aim to reimplant within about 15 minutes at the scene. If you can't, keep it moist in cold milk or saliva, never water, never dry and get to a dentist fast.