Emergency pediatric dentist in New Jersey
Dentistry for Children provides emergency pediatric dental care across 8 New Jersey locations, with same-day appointments during business hours and a 24/7 emergency hotline every night, weekend, and holiday of the year. When your child is in pain or has been injured, you need a clinician who knows how to treat children and who will pick up the phone. We do both.
What counts as a pediatric dental emergency?
A dental emergency is any situation where your child is in pain, has been injured, or has a dental problem that could get worse without prompt care. Common pediatric dental emergencies include:
- Knocked-out permanent tooth (avulsed tooth)
- Cracked, chipped, or fractured tooth
- Severe toothache that isn’t relieved by over-the-counter children’s pain medication
- Loose permanent tooth after an injury
- Bitten lip, cheek, or tongue with significant bleeding or swelling
- Broken jaw (call 911 first)
- Abscess, swelling in the mouth or face, or signs of infection
- Dental trauma from a fall, sports injury, or car accident
If you’re unsure whether your child needs emergency care, call us. Our clinical team is trained to triage pediatric dental issues and help you decide what to do next.
How to reach us in an emergency
During business hours
During business hours, we have staff willing to respond to all questions and concerns, and we are happy to get your child seen by a dentist as soon as possible. Call your local office for immediate assistance:
- Howell – 732-378-9990
- Jackson – 732-813-3730
- Jersey City – 201-386-0353
- Lakewood – 732-370-3700
- Lodi – 201-397-1420
- Neptune – 732-776-3560
- North Bergen – 201-945-1119
- Toms River – 732-240-2244
After hours, nights, weekends, and holidays
Call our Dental Emergency Hotline at 1-855-266-7243 (toll free). When prompted, press 3368478 (which spells ‘dentist’ on your keypad). Our emergency process is the same 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. A clinician will call you back.
What to do before you arrive
Knocked-out permanent tooth
Time matters. A knocked-out permanent tooth can often be saved if it’s re-implanted within 15 to 30 minutes. Find the tooth, handle it only by the crown (the top, not the root), and rinse gently with warm water if dirty. Do not scrub. If possible, gently place the tooth back into the socket. If that isn’t possible, store the tooth in milk, in saliva (in your child’s cheek if they’re old enough to not swallow it), or in a Tooth Preservation Kit. Call us or come in immediately. Note: knocked-out baby teeth are usually not re-implanted, but still call us so we can evaluate the underlying permanent tooth.
Cracked or broken tooth
Locate any tooth fragments and bring them with you. Rinse your child’s mouth with warm water and check that no fragments are caught between the cheek and the jaw. Apply a cold compress to the outside of the face if there is swelling. Call us to be seen as soon as possible. In many cases we can bond the fragment back to the tooth.
Toothache
First, rinse the mouth with warm salt water and gently floss around the tooth to remove any trapped food. If there is swelling on the face, apply a cold compress. Children’s acetaminophen or ibuprofen (dosed for age and weight) can manage mild pain until you can be seen. Do not place aspirin directly on the gums. If the pain is severe, doesn’t improve, or is accompanied by fever or swelling, call us right away.
Bitten lip, cheek, or tongue
Gently clean the bite with water and apply a cold compress (a cold, wet washcloth pressed firmly) to reduce swelling. Most bites stop bleeding within a few minutes. If bleeding continues for more than 15 minutes or the cut is deep, call us or seek urgent medical care.
Object stuck between teeth
Try to remove the object with dental floss. Never use a sharp, metal, or plastic tool. If floss doesn’t work, call us.
Loose permanent tooth
A loose baby tooth is normal. A loose permanent tooth that wasn’t loose before is not. Have your child bite down gently on a clean gauze pad to keep the tooth stable and call us immediately for evaluation.
Suspected broken jaw
If you suspect a broken jaw (inability to open the mouth, sideways movement when opening, teeth that no longer line up, inability to close teeth together), immobilize the jaw with a towel or necktie and go to the nearest emergency room immediately or call 911. A cold compress will help reduce swelling on the way.
Frequently asked questions about pediatric dental emergencies
During business hours, we hold same-day emergency appointments at every location. After hours, a clinician from our emergency team will return your call as quickly as possible. For true emergencies like knocked-out permanent teeth, come directly to the nearest office or call 911 if the injury is severe.
Yes. We treat emergencies for any child, whether they’ve been seen at Dentistry for Children before or not. Bring any available dental records, insurance information, and a parent or legal guardian.
Usually no. Re-implanting a baby tooth can damage the developing permanent tooth underneath. However, you should still call us so we can evaluate the injury and make sure the permanent tooth wasn’t affected.
A mild toothache that goes away with over-the-counter pain relievers usually isn’t an emergency, but it should still be evaluated within a few days. A severe toothache, especially with fever, swelling, or pain that wakes your child up at night, is an emergency and should be seen the same day.
We accept most major dental insurance carriers, including NJ FamilyCare and Medicaid, and we offer cash-pay options. Bring your insurance card if possible, but we will not delay emergency care to verify coverage.
Call our 24/7 Dental Emergency Hotline: 1-855-266-7243
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