What to Do If Your Child Chips a Tooth: A Parent’s Guide

Learn what to do if your child chips a tooth. Discover first-aid tips, warning signs, treatment options, and when to contact a pediatric dentist.

Dental Care Oct 5, 2026 0 18 Add to Reading List

What to Do If Your Child Chips a Tooth: A Parent’s Guide

A chipped tooth child situation can be stressful, especially when the injury happens unexpectedly during play, sports, or a simple fall. Seeing a piece of your child's tooth break can immediately leave you wondering: Is it an emergency? Should I save the broken piece? Will my child be in pain?

The good news is that many chipped teeth can be treated effectively when parents know what to do.

A chipped tooth may be a small cosmetic issue, but it can sometimes involve deeper damage to the tooth. That's why parents should carefully check their child's mouth, help keep the area clean, and contact a pediatric dentist when necessary.

ABC Kids Dental LA provides emergency dental care for children with chipped, cracked, or broken teeth, along with other pediatric dental emergencies.

This guide explains what parents should do after a child chips a tooth, what signs require urgent attention, and what treatment may be recommended.

Quick Answer: What Should You Do If Your Child Chips a Tooth?

If your child chipped tooth injury is minor, stay calm and gently rinse your child's mouth with water. Check for bleeding, swelling, pain, or a visibly damaged tooth.

If you find a piece of the tooth, save it and bring it to the dentist if possible. A cold compress placed against the outside of the cheek may help reduce swelling.

Contact a pediatric dentist promptly if the tooth is painful, bleeding, loose, significantly broken, or appears to have a deeper fracture.

If your child has facial swelling, uncontrolled bleeding, severe pain, difficulty breathing or swallowing, or another serious injury, seek urgent medical attention.

For additional information, read Pediatric Dental Emergency: What Parents Should Do to Protect Their Child's Smile, which covers chipped and broken teeth along with other common pediatric emergencies.

What Is a Chipped Tooth in a Child?

A chipped tooth occurs when a portion of the tooth breaks away. The chip may be very small, affecting only the outer enamel, or it may involve deeper layers of the tooth.

Children can chip teeth for many reasons, including:

Falling while playing
Sports-related injuries
Accidents on playground equipment
Biting hard foods or objects
Tooth grinding
Weakened teeth caused by decay
Accidental impacts to the mouth

Both baby teeth and permanent teeth can become chipped.

Although a small chip may not cause immediate pain, it should not automatically be ignored. A dental professional can determine whether the tooth needs treatment and whether there is damage that cannot be seen easily.

ABC Kids Dental LA offers oral examinations and emergency dental care to help evaluate children's dental injuries.

What Should Parents Do After a Child Chips a Tooth?

1. Stay Calm and Comfort Your Child

Your child may be frightened when they see blood or realize that part of their tooth has broken.

Stay calm and reassure them. Your reaction can influence how your child responds to the injury.

You can say:

"You're okay. We're going to take care of your tooth and get you checked."

Keeping your child calm also makes it easier to examine the mouth and determine what happened.

2. Rinse the Mouth Gently

Have your child gently rinse their mouth with clean water.

This can help remove blood, food particles, and small pieces of tooth from the mouth.

Avoid aggressively brushing or scrubbing the injured area immediately after the accident.

3. Check for Bleeding or Swelling

Look carefully at your child's gums, lips, cheeks, and the injured tooth.

A small amount of bleeding can happen after an injury, particularly if the gums or lips were also affected.

If there is swelling, a cold compress against the outside of the cheek can help reduce discomfort and swelling.

ABC Kids Dental LA recommends rinsing the mouth and using a cold compress for swelling following a chipped or broken tooth.

4. Save the Broken Tooth Piece

If you can find the piece of tooth that broke off, save it.

Place it in a clean container and bring it with you when you visit the dentist. Do not scrub or aggressively clean the fragment.

The dentist can determine whether the fragment is useful for treatment or whether another restoration is more appropriate.

5. Avoid Hard or Sticky Foods

Until your child is evaluated, avoid foods that could put additional pressure on the injured tooth.

Soft foods can be easier and more comfortable to eat.

Depending on the location and severity of the chip, biting directly on the affected area may cause sensitivity or additional discomfort.

6. Don't Try to Repair the Tooth at Home

Parents may be tempted to smooth, glue, or otherwise repair a chipped tooth themselves.

Don't attempt a DIY dental repair.

Household adhesives are not designed for use inside the mouth and can cause additional problems. A dentist should determine how the tooth should be repaired.

7. Watch for Pain or Sensitivity

Pay attention to how your child feels after the injury.

Signs that the tooth may need prompt professional evaluation include:

Persistent tooth pain
Sensitivity to hot or cold
Pain when biting
Bleeding around the tooth
A loose tooth
Swelling
A sharp edge that cuts the tongue or cheek
A visibly deep fracture

A persistent or severe symptom may indicate that the injury is more significant than a simple enamel chip.

8. Contact a Pediatric Dentist

Even if the chip looks small, contacting a pediatric dentist can help you understand whether your child needs an examination.

A dentist can assess the tooth, surrounding gums, and other structures affected by the injury.

ABC Kids Dental LA lists chipped, cracked, and broken teeth among the dental problems for which families should call for emergency care.

You can also review Pediatric Dental Emergency Care: What Parents Should Do When a Child Has a Tooth Injury for additional guidance on broken, loose, and knocked-out teeth.

Benefits, Risks, and Treatment Options

Why Prompt Evaluation Can Help

Getting a child tooth injury evaluated can help identify problems early.

A dental examination may determine whether:

The chip only affects the enamel.
The tooth has a deeper fracture.
The tooth is loose.
The gums or surrounding tissues are injured.
The tooth's nerve or inner structures may be affected.
A restoration is needed.

Prompt evaluation can also help prevent a damaged tooth from causing additional discomfort or becoming more difficult to treat.

What Are the Risks of Ignoring a Chipped Tooth?

Not every small chip requires extensive treatment. However, parents should not assume that a tooth is fine simply because their child isn't experiencing pain.

Some dental injuries may initially cause few symptoms.

A damaged tooth may also have a sharp edge that irritates the tongue or cheek. A deeper fracture may require treatment to protect the tooth.

If your child develops increasing pain, swelling, sensitivity, bleeding, or other symptoms after the injury, contact a dental professional promptly.

What Treatment Might a Child Need?

Treatment depends on the severity and location of the damage.

A pediatric dentist may recommend:

Smoothing a very small rough edge
A tooth-colored filling or bonding
A crown for a more significantly damaged tooth
Pulp therapy when the inner part of the tooth is affected
Monitoring the tooth when no immediate restoration is necessary

ABC Kids Dental LA offers tooth-colored fillings, white crowns, pulp therapy, and emergency dental care as part of its pediatric dental services.

What to Expect at the Dentist

Step 1: Examination

The dentist will examine your child's tooth and surrounding tissues.

They may ask how the accident happened, when it occurred, and whether your child has experienced pain or sensitivity.

Step 2: Dental X-Rays When Needed

Depending on the injury, the dentist may recommend dental X-rays to look for damage that cannot be seen during a visual examination.

ABC Kids Dental LA provides digital X-rays and panoramic X-rays as part of its available services.

Step 3: Personalized Treatment

Once the dentist understands the extent of the injury, they can recommend the most appropriate treatment.

A minor chip may require little or no restorative treatment, while a deeper fracture may require a filling, crown, pulp therapy, or another procedure.

The treatment plan will depend on whether the affected tooth is a baby tooth or permanent tooth and the extent of the damage.

Step 4: Follow-Up Care

Your child's dentist may recommend follow-up visits to make sure the tooth continues to remain healthy.

Parents should also watch for new symptoms after treatment, including pain, swelling, sensitivity, or changes in the appearance of the tooth.

Chipped Tooth Child Care in Los Angeles

For families dealing with a chipped tooth child situation in Los Angeles, having access to a pediatric dental practice can make an unexpected dental injury less stressful.

ABC Kids Dental LA provides children's dentistry and orthodontics throughout the San Fernando Valley, with locations in Granada Hills, Pacoima, Sun Valley, San Fernando, and Reseda.

The practice provides emergency dental care for chipped and broken teeth and other urgent dental concerns.

Families can visit the ABC Kids Dental LA Emergency Dental Care page to learn more about emergency treatment for children's dental injuries.

For routine care and prevention, parents can also explore the ABC Kids Dental LA Services page.

Why Choose ABC Kids Dental LA?

When a child experiences a dental injury, parents want a team that understands children's unique needs.

ABC Kids Dental LA focuses on children's dentistry and orthodontics and provides a welcoming environment designed to help young patients feel comfortable.

The practice offers:

Pediatric oral examinations
Digital and panoramic X-rays
Professional teeth cleanings
Fluoride treatments
Dental sealants
Tooth-colored fillings
White crowns
Pulp therapy
Nitrous oxide and sedation options
Orthodontic care
Emergency dental care

The practice also provides age-specific dental care and emphasizes preventive care and personalized oral hygiene guidance.

If your child needs an emergency dentist for kids, contact ABC Kids Dental LA to discuss the injury and available care.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a chipped tooth in a child an emergency?

Not every chip is an emergency. A very small chip without pain or other symptoms may be less urgent, but it should still be evaluated by a dentist when appropriate.

A large fracture, significant pain, bleeding, swelling, a loose tooth, or suspected damage to the inner part of the tooth requires prompt dental attention.

What should I do if my child's baby tooth is chipped?

Gently rinse your child's mouth with water and check for bleeding, swelling, pain, or other injuries. Save any broken tooth fragment if possible and contact a pediatric dentist for guidance.

The dentist can determine whether the baby tooth needs treatment or monitoring.

Should I save the piece of my child's chipped tooth?

Yes. If you can find the broken piece, place it in a clean container and bring it to the dentist. The dentist can determine whether it may be useful for treatment.

Can a chipped child tooth grow back?

A broken portion of a tooth does not grow back. However, depending on the child's age and whether the affected tooth is a baby or permanent tooth, a dentist may be able to restore the damaged area with an appropriate treatment.

When should I take my child to a pediatric dentist after a tooth injury?

Contact a pediatric dentist promptly if your child has significant pain, swelling, bleeding, a loose tooth, sensitivity, a deep fracture, or difficulty eating.

If you are unsure how serious the injury is, it is better to contact a dental professional for guidance.

Conclusion: Don't Ignore a Chipped Tooth

A chipped tooth child situation can be scary, but knowing what to do can help you respond calmly and confidently.

Start by comforting your child, gently rinsing their mouth, checking for bleeding or swelling, saving any broken tooth fragment, and using a cold compress if needed. Avoid attempting to repair the tooth at home, and contact a pediatric dentist when the injury causes pain, bleeding, swelling, looseness, or other concerning symptoms.

At ABC Kids Dental LA, children can receive specialized dental care for chipped and broken teeth along with preventive, restorative, and emergency services.

If your child has recently chipped a tooth, don't wait if you are concerned. Contact ABC Kids Dental LA to discuss your child's dental injury and find out what care may be appropriate.