Children's Emergency Dentist in Decatur IL
Unfortunately, dental emergencies happen. If your child needs emergency dental care in Decatur, IL, we want to let you know that Dr. Bret and our staff are here for your family. Our Decatur, IL dentist can provide relief from common dental emergencies, such as bad tooth pain, cracked, broken, or knocked out teeth, and painful swelling in the mouth or gums. Parents of a child experiencing a dental emergency in Decatur, IL should call our dentist office immediately.
We also recognize that dental emergencies in Decatur, IL can happen at any time of the day, so we have a plan to make sure that you are covered with emergency dental care. Our after-hours dental emergency line is available 24/7. Just call our regular dentist office line, and the voicemail will provide you with the information you need to reach Decatur, IL pediatric dentist, Dr. Bret.
Common Dental Emergencies at Our Dentist Office
Some dental emergencies need to be addressed by an emergency dentist immediately. If your child is experiencing any of the following situations, please call our Decatur, IL dentist office right away:
- Knocked-out tooth: Pick up the tooth by the top (crown) and take care not to touch or damage the root. Gently rinse it, without scrubbing, and place it in a clean container or cup of milk – this helps keep the tooth viable so we can try to place it back into your child’s mouth.
- Serious swelling of the cheek, gums or mouth: Swelling of the mouth can indicate an infection, so don’t delay calling our office.
- Cracked or fractured tooth: A cracked or fractured tooth is different than a chipped tooth. When a tooth is fractured, there is often sharp and constant pain. Rinse your child’s mouth out with warm salt water while you call us in order to decrease the risk of infection.
- Severe bleeding: This can occur when a tooth falls out on its own or when trauma has occurred. Apply pressure with clean gauze but call us if the bleeding doesn’t stop on its own after 20 minutes.
- Trauma to the mouth, lips, or tongue: Trauma to the mouth encompasses a lot of different things. Whether your child was hit in the face by a soccer ball or they’ve caught their cheek on the corner of the kitchen table, it is important that they been seen quickly so that the damage can be repaired and we can treat for possible infection.
When Do I Need Urgent Dental Care?
A dental emergency occurs when your child’s dental health is at immediate risk. Sometimes, your child may experience an incident that is not a true dental emergency. If you are concerned, you are always welcome to call us so that we can discuss whether your child should be seen by an emergency dentist and how soon.
- Slight tooth pain or ache: If your child complains of bad tooth pain, please give us a call the next morning so we can determine if they need to be seen.
- Cavity: Cavities are not dental emergencies. They can be treated at our Decatur, IL dentist office at the next available appointment opening.
- Chipped tooth: If your child isn’t experiencing any pain associated to the chipped tooth, just make sure they chew carefully so that they don’t do further damage before they are able to be seen in our dentist office.
- Teething: While teething pain can be a problem for both you and your child, it is not considered a dental emergency in Decatur, IL. A frozen teething ring can help alleviate your child’s tooth pain.
Call Your Child's Emergency Dentist in Decatur, IL Today
Call us at (217) 875-3080 today to make an appointment or if you have any questions. Our after-hours dental emergency number can be found on our voicemail.
Frequently Asked Questions
As a parent, you understand that children can get into all sorts of mischief. Unfortunately, they might even find themselves faced with a dental emergency in Decatur, IL.
If your child hurts their tooth, you might wonder if it’s severe enough to take them to the dentist for emergency treatment. Usually, the answer is yes.
Even though your child will eventually lose their baby teeth in a natural way, it’s essential to take care of these teeth while they’re still part of your child’s smile. Keeping their baby teeth healthy and strong ensures that their permanent teeth will grow in at the right time and in the right spots.
Common Children's Dental Emergencies in Decatur, IL
Our Decatur, IL dentist can care for your child’s dental injuries, including common pediatric dental emergencies such as:
- Knocked-out teeth from everyday situations like recess and sports practice
- Extreme orthodontic discomfort if your child has braces
- Toothaches and sensitivity, including associated ear pain and jaw pain
- Broken and cracked teeth
- Loose or lost tooth fillings and dental crowns
- Infected or abscessed teeth (especially noticeable if your child complains of a persistent bad taste in their mouth or has a fever accompanied by dental pain)
If you need a “dentist near me” to treat your child’s dental emergency, don’t wait to contact us. We will relieve your child’s dental pain and repair their broken tooth. Call us immediately at (217) 875-3080.
A pulpotomy is a dental procedure that allows us to save a severely infected tooth. Also known as a baby root canal, it is a standard procedure performed on baby teeth to prevent tooth loss.
What Does a Pulpotomy on Baby Teeth Look Like?
Dr. Jerger ensures that the dental procedure is gentle and pain-free with the use of anesthetics. We provide children's sedation dentistry so that your baby can feel comfortable through the process.
Your children's dentist in Decatur will remove any decayed areas within the tooth. Once the tooth is clear of infection, we will use a filling to seal the tooth and prevent outside bacteria and food particles from entering the tooth and causing reinfection.
We use a dental crown to stabilize and protect the entire tooth. During each subsequent dental visit, we will check your child's oral health and ensure that the dental crown is a good fit.
Emergency Pulpotomies
If your child is in severe pain, we can help relieve their pain and treat their infected tooth. You can temporarily relieve pain with ibuprofen, but the pain will eventually return.
Tooth pain is always a sign of underlying complications or dental emergencies that will only get worse over time. At Jerger Pediatric Dentistry, we make room in our schedule to provide children emergency dental care in Decatur.
If your child needs a baby root canal procedure (pulpotomy), your child should no longer feel any pain or discomfort. Root canals will relieve pain, not cause pain!
Is Your Child Experiencing Bad Tooth Pain?
Don't ignore tooth pain; we can manage your child's oral pain and keep them comfortable and happy. Give Dr. Jerger and his dental team a call today to schedule an appointment.
Yes! If your child has experienced a dental emergency, they should be seen right away. Call our emergency dentist in Decaturm IL immediately at (217) 875-3080. Brett Jerger DDS can often provide urgent dental care that same day.
If you are unsure whether or not your child’s situation requires emergency dental care, you can always call our dentist office to learn more. Our knowledgeable office staff will help you determine if the injury is serious enough to be emergent.
Common pediatric dental emergencies in Decatur, IL include:
- Heavy bleeding after trauma to the mouth
- Heavy bleeding after losing a tooth naturally
- A tooth that has been knocked out
- A cracked or fractured tooth that is accompanied by pain
- Severe swelling or inflammation
Conditions such as teething, mildly chipped teeth, cavities, or minor toothaches are not considered to be pediatric dental emergencies. If your child is complaining of any of these symptoms, our staff will schedule our next-available appointment for you to see our emergency dentist in Decatur, IL during regular business hours.
Feel Free to Call Our Emergency Dentist in Decatur, IL
Our pediatric dental office has an emergency line available 24/7. If you need to reach us after our regular business hours, simply call us at (217) 875-3080 and follow the instructions listed in our voicemail. Bret Jerger DDS will then be in touch to schedule your emergency dental appointment!
We know that a dental emergency for your child can be stressful.
For that reason, Dr. Bret Jerger DDS is here to be your children's emergency dentist in Decatur, IL. The most important thing to do in the event of a dental emergency is to remain calm and comfort your child. If you are looking for a gentle and skilled dentist near me, our compassionate dental team offers great care, regardless of the circumstances.
Give our office a call as soon as you can so that we can triage and determine what needs to be done to best help your child. Often we will give you instructions on what to do in the immediate term until you can get to our dentist office.
Dental Emergencies Can Happen at Any Time
If the dental emergency happens during regular business hours, your dentist in Decatur, IL will do their absolute best to make sure that your child can be seen immediately.
If the dental emergency in Mt. Zion happens after hours, don’t worry—we are still here for your family. Patients of record who have an after-hours emergency can call us and talk to a staff member who can give you instructions on what to do.
Contact Your Emergency Dentist in Decatur, IL Immediately
If your child suffers a trauma, we want you to take them to the nearest emergency room and contact us from there.
Most dental emergencies in Decatur, IL have a way of letting you know they’re there. Whether it’s through pain or visible damage like a missing tooth, your child’s dental emergency will noticeably interrupt your life.
You’ll recognize a dental emergency by symptoms such as:
- Pain and discomfort
- Bleeding or pus
- Swelling, inflammation, and tenderness
- Visible cracks, chips, fractures, or breaks
- Sharp orthodontic wires or brackets
- Teeth in places they aren’t supposed to be, such as outside the mouth or bent at abnormal angles
If you have a dental emergency on your hands, it will interfere with your daily activities. Dental emergencies impact your ability to sleep, eat, speak, and socialize, and severe emergencies make it feel unbearable to wait even a few hours to see a dentist.
Children's 
Dental Emergencies in Decatur, IL
As your pediatric emergency dentist in Decatur, IL, we’ve seen dental emergencies happen time and time again. Common emergency-inducing scenarios include:
- Your child getting hit in the face during tag at school
- Biting into a hard, chewy candy, such as Starbursts or Skittles, and damaging a tooth
- A stray wire from braces coming loose or having a sharp end
- Children knocking a baby tooth loose or entirely out after falling and hitting their head
If your child has dental pain that’s severe enough to complain about, or if you can see damage to a tooth just by looking in their mouth, you need to call our Decatur, IL dentist at (217) 875-3080.
Meet Our Doctor:
Dr. Bret Jerger
I am a lifelong resident of Decatur, IL, and am committed to the health of children in my community. After completing my residency at Riley Children's Hospital, I began working with my father, who established Jerger Pediatric Dentistry in 1966. I have been practicing pediatric dentistry in Decatur since 1995. Together, we have provided care to Central Illinois for over 50 years.
I enjoy helping to create beautiful smiles for our young patients while getting to know them and watching them grow up. My biggest goal is to create a safe, ...
Featured Blog Posts - Dental Emergencies
Your Trusted Pediatric Emergency Dentist in Decatur, IL
There is nothing scarier for a parent than their child's dental emergency. There may be a broken tooth, blood, or worse, a tooth knocked out to worry about. The first step in handling your child's dental emergency is to remain calm. The more relaxed you stay, the more comfortable ...
Coping with a Pediatric Dental Emergency
Updated in Nov 2025
When your child gets hurt, your heart stops for a second; it’s just part of being a parent. And when the injury involves their mouth, teeth, or gums, that worry can skyrocket. At Jerger Pediatric Dentistry, we want you to know this: you’re never facing a
Dental Emergencies in Kids: A Parent’s Guide in Decatur, IL
Kids are experts at turning everyday moments into chaos. This can—and all too often does—include dental emergencies. One second, they’re happily playing; the next, there are tears and a missing tooth. While some situations require immediate action, others just need a little TLC. Knowing the difference can save you ...