Emergency Pediatric Dentistry
Immediate Treatment for Common Pediatric
Dental Emergencies
When your child is in pain or has experienced a dental injury, immediate care matters.
STL Urgent Dental offers emergency pediatric dental services on select days, providing prompt treatment for issues such as severe tooth decay, trauma, and sudden oral health concerns.
Our team focuses on providing fast relief, accurate diagnosis, and stabilization of your child's condition to prevent further complications.
Children's dental issues can worsen quickly without proper care. We routinely treat advanced tooth decay, including significantly damaged or infected teeth, as well as injuries that lead to loose, chipped, fractured, or knocked-out teeth.
Each visit is centered on relieving discomfort, addressing the urgency of the situation, and supporting your child's long-term oral health with efficient, effective treatment.
Pediatric-Focused Expertise and Gentle Care
Your child will be treated by a licensed dental professional who is actively receiving advanced training in pediatric dentistry. This ongoing training ensures that the care provided aligns with current pediatric techniques and best practices.
Using the "Tell-Show-Do" approach, our process is designed to reduce anxiety, communicate clearly with both children and parents, and provide a calm, supportive experience during what can be a stressful situation.
Convenient Access to Emergency Care Across Greater St. Louis
Emergency pediatric appointments are available on select days to ensure each child receives attentive, focused care. From your first call through treatment and follow-up guidance, our team is committed to making the process as smooth as possible.
If your child is experiencing dental pain or has suffered an injury,
contact STL Urgent Dental right away to check availability and get the care they need.
What Are Common Dental Issues You See With Children
We most commonly see two different types of dental emergencies with children.
- Abscesses: These are bacterial infections that cause swollen, painful bubbles to form in the gums or teeth, and are caused by damaged or rotting teeth.
- Trauma: In children, this is usually knocked-out or chipped teeth from a fall or sports accident.
What Qualifies as a Pediatric Dental Emergency?
A pediatric dental emergency includes severe tooth pain, visible decay, swollen gums, infections, or injuries that result in loose, broken, or knocked-out teeth. If your child is in pain or has experienced trauma to the mouth, it’s important to seek care as soon as possible.
Do You Treat Children With Severe Tooth Decay?
Yes. We commonly treat children with advanced decay, including teeth that are significantly damaged or infected. Our goal is to relieve pain quickly while determining the best course of treatment for your child’s long-term oral health.
Are You Able to Sedate Patients?
We do not sedate patients at any of our locations (including no laughing gas).
When needed, we provide a local anesthetic via injection to numb the area we are working on, minimizing pain and discomfort.
What Should I Do if My Child Has a Loose or Knocked-out Tooth?
Contact our office immediately.
For a knocked-out permanent tooth, handle it carefully and keep it moist if possible.
Place the tooth in a glass of milk or your own saliva. You can also put it back in your socket if you're able, and gently bite down on a piece of gauze to keep it in place.
For loose teeth caused by injury, avoid touching the area and seek urgent dental care right away so we can assess and stabilize the tooth (which may result in an extraction).
If it is a baby tooth, do not attempt to reinsertate. Keep it clean and bring it in during your appointment.
Who Will Be Treating My Child?
Your child will be seen by a licensed dental professional who is currently receiving specialized training in pediatric dentistry.
This additional training ensures your child's care reflects current pediatric techniques and a strong understanding of children's dental needs.
Are Appointments Available the Same Day?
Emergency appointments are available on select days. We recommend calling as soon as possible so we can determine availability and get your child seen quickly.
How Do You Help Children Feel Comfortable During Treatment?
We take a calm, patient-focused approach tailored for children, known as the "Tell-Show-Do" method.
This method helps to reduce anxiety by explaining the procedure and what they can expect, showing them what we will do using models, and then actually performing the procedure.
Our team communicates clearly with both the parents and child, move at a comfortable pace, and create an environment that reduces fear and anxiety during emergency visits.
Do You Serve Families Throughout the St. Louis Area?
Yes. STL Urgent Dental provides emergency pediatric dental care for families across St. Louis and surrounding communities, with four locations throughout the region.
Meet Dr. Emma Cunningham, DMD
Dr. Emma Cunningham, DMD, has joined our staff to assist with pediatric dental emergencies. She earned her Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) degree from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and is currently halfway through her residency in Pediatric Dentistry and Pedodontics at Saint Louis University.
Between her academic programs, she spent three years in Kentucky working as a general dentist for White House Clinics and Big Smiles. In that role, she traveled to underserved schools to provide preventive and restorative dental care to children.
"Kids are super resilient, and their memories are molded primarily by experiences,” says Dr. Cunningham. She stresses the importance of parents remaining calm, reassuring, and encouraging during dental emergencies. "Just reminding children that we [dentists] are there to help them, and that it will be OK, goes a long way."
Immediate Treatment for Common Pediatric Dental Emergencies
When your child is in pain or has experienced a dental injury, immediate care matters.
STL Urgent Dental offers emergency pediatric dental services on select days, providing prompt treatment for issues such as severe tooth decay, trauma, and sudden oral health concerns.
Our team focuses on providing fast relief, accurate diagnosis, and stabilization of your child's condition to prevent further complications.
Children's dental issues can worsen quickly without proper care. We routinely treat advanced tooth decay, including significantly damaged or infected teeth, as well as injuries that lead to loose, chipped, fractured, or knocked-out teeth.
Each visit is centered on relieving discomfort, addressing the urgency of the situation, and supporting your child's long-term oral health with efficient, effective treatment.
Pediatric-Focused Expertise and Gentle Care
Your child will be treated by a licensed dental professional who is actively receiving advanced training in pediatric dentistry. This ongoing training ensures that the care provided aligns with current pediatric techniques and best practices.
Using the "Tell-Show-Do" approach, our process is designed to reduce anxiety, communicate clearly with both children and parents, and provide a calm, supportive experience during what can be a stressful situation.
Convenient Access to Emergency Care Across Greater St. Louis
Emergency pediatric appointments are available on select days to ensure each child receives attentive, focused care. From your first call through treatment and follow-up guidance, our team is committed to making the process as smooth as possible.
If your child is experiencing dental pain or has suffered an injury,
contact STL Urgent Dental right away to check availability and get the care they need.
Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Pediatric Dental Emergencies
What Are Common Dental Issues You See With Children
We most commonly see two different types of dental emergencies with children.
- Abscesses: These are bacterial infections that cause swollen, painful bubbles to form in the gums or teeth, and are caused by damaged or rotting teeth.
- Trauma: In children, this is usually knocked-out or chipped teeth from a fall or sports accident.
What Qualifies as a Pediatric Dental Emergency?
A pediatric dental emergency includes severe tooth pain, visible decay, swollen gums, infections, or injuries that result in loose, broken, or knocked-out teeth. If your child is in pain or has experienced trauma to the mouth, it’s important to seek care as soon as possible.
Do You Treat Children With Severe Tooth Decay?
Yes. We commonly treat children with advanced decay, including teeth that are significantly damaged or infected. Our goal is to relieve pain quickly while determining the best course of treatment for your child’s long-term oral health.
Are You Able to Sedate Patients?
We do not sedate patients at any of our locations (including no laughing gas).
When needed, we provide a local anesthetic via injection to numb the area we are working on, minimizing pain and discomfort.
What Should I Do if My Child Has a Loose or Knocked-out Tooth?
Contact our office immediately.
For a knocked-out permanent tooth, handle it carefully and keep it moist if possible.
Place the tooth in a glass of milk or your own saliva. You can also put it back in your socket if you're able, and gently bite down on a piece of gauze to keep it in place.
For loose teeth caused by injury, avoid touching the area and seek urgent dental care right away so we can assess and stabilize the tooth (which may result in an extraction).
If it is a baby tooth, do not attempt to reinsertate. Keep it clean and bring it in during your appointment.
Who Will Be Treating My Child?
Your child will be seen by a licensed dental professional who is currently receiving specialized training in pediatric dentistry.
This additional training ensures your child's care reflects current pediatric techniques and a strong understanding of children's dental needs.
Are Appointments Available the Same Day?
Emergency appointments are available on select days. We recommend calling as soon as possible so we can determine availability and get your child seen quickly.
How Do You Help Children Feel Comfortable During Treatment?
We take a calm, patient-focused approach tailored for children, known as the "Tell-Show-Do" method.
This method helps to reduce anxiety by explaining the procedure and what they can expect, showing them what we will do using models, and then actually performing the procedure.
Our team communicates clearly with both the parents and child, move at a comfortable pace, and create an environment that reduces fear and anxiety during emergency visits.
Do You Serve Families Throughout the St. Louis Area?
Yes. STL Urgent Dental provides emergency pediatric dental care for families across St. Louis and surrounding communities, with four locations throughout the region.
Meet Dr. Emma Cunningham, DMD
Dr. Emma Cunningham, DMD, has joined our staff to assist with pediatric dental emergencies. She earned her Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) degree from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and is currently halfway through her residency in Pediatric Dentistry and Pedodontics at Saint Louis University.
Between her academic programs, she spent three years in Kentucky working as a general dentist for White House Clinics and Big Smiles. In that role, she traveled to underserved schools to provide preventive and restorative dental care to children.
"Kids are super resilient, and their memories are molded primarily by experiences,” says Dr. Cunningham. She stresses the importance of parents remaining calm, reassuring, and encouraging during dental emergencies. "Just reminding children that we [dentists] are there to help them, and that it will be OK, goes a long way."