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Dentistry/Daughter with tooth pain

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Expert: - 11/15/2008


Question
First off I would like to give some background information. My 7 year old daughter usually goes to the dentist every 6 months. Unfortunately she missed her last appointment in June due to the fact that we had to switch dental insurance companies. So it has been almost a year since she has been to the dentist. She started complaining about a tooth ache yesterday so I had to call a new dentist because our usual dentist will not take our new insurance. The new dentist said they could not see her until Tuesday. I assume that is because she is a new patient. I have looked in her mouth and it looks as if she has lost a filling. There is quite a large hole in her tooth. I can't imagine that a cavity could get that big in a year. Also would she not have started complaining with pain sooner. So anyway, to get to the real issue, will she be okay until Tuesday? I have been giving her ibuprofen, and using Orajel Severe Pain Formula on the tooth. The new dentist doesn't have an on-call option. Is there anything else I can do for her? Do I need to call her doctor or the ER? I'm worried about abscess. Thank You for any help you can give.

Answer
It sounds like you are on track so far and there's not much else you can do.  The usual signs of infection and abcess would be a gum boil in the mouth, localized swelling of the gum near the affected tooth, facial swelling and fever.  In the absence of these signs there's no need for antibiotics.  You should prevent food from packing into the hole in the tooth and keep the mouth clean.  In addition to great brushing you might have your daughter rinse with warm salt water after meals.  There's nothing magic about that but it can help with the hygiene and flush any food out of the cavity.

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Dr. Randolph Myerson

Expertise

Please limit your inquiry to questions about orthodontics (braces) and children's dentistry. I am both an Orthodontist and a Pediatric Dentist, having been trained in both of these dental specialty fields. Orthodontics is the dental specialty that treats problems of tooth, bite and jaw alignment using braces and removable appliances. Pediatric Dentistry is the dental specialty also known as dentistry for children, which deals specifically with the dental problems of this special age group from infants to adolescents. I am also experienced in Forensic Dentistry, the application of dentistry to law enforcement and identification using dental records.

Experience

I have been in the private practice of orthodontics and pediatric dentistry for over 20 years. Prior to that I served for three years on the Cleft Palate and Cranio-facial Reconstruction team at Children''s Hospital of Philadelphia and was an Assistant Professor of Dentistry at University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine. I also served as a dentist in the U.S.Air Force, stationed at Andrews AFB in Washington, DC.

Organizations
I am a Fellow in the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, and a member of the American Association of Orthodontics, as well as a member of the American Dental Association and the Dental Society of the State of New York.

Education/Credentials
I received my BA in Biology from Frankin & Marshall College in 1969, and my dental degree from University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine in 1973. In 1978 I received both my Certificate in Orthodontics from University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, and my Certificate in Pediatric Dentistry from Children''s Hospital of Philadelphia after completing a three year Teaching Fellowship in Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry in 1978.

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