7 year old has a hole in his gums, tooth root is exposed

[MountainMama]

My son came home from school today and said he had something on his gums. When I looked at it, it was a hole about the size of a grain of rice, under his lower front tooth (permanent tooth)!

He had complained a few days ago about pain in that tooth after he got a piece of apple peel stuck between his teeth. I flossed his teeth and he said it didn't hurt anymore. I couldn't ever see the apple peel. He might have been picking at it.

I called but no dentists will get him in until Monday. What can I do in the meantime? Keep it clean, obviously, but does he brush gently, or leave the spot alone? Mouthwash to keep it clean?

I took a picture. There is a brown spot on the hole. Is it a cavity? How would they fix that?

 

[MountainMama]

I left a message on my dentist's answering machine at the office. They are closed today, but apparently she checks messages and called me! She said it sounded like he had something stuck in there. So I followed her directions and got a pair of pointed tweezers. He had an apple peel stuck in there! It went down the side of his tooth and it poked a hole through his gums! I got the apple peel out and hopefully his gums will heal now.

I have an amazing dentist!

 

[Gordon]

My son did the same with a bit of pear skin. Kids eh?

You're right, you have an excellent dentist.

 

[MountainMama]

My son did the same with a bit of pear skin. Kids eh?

You're right, you have an excellent dentist.

Yes, I am so glad to have found her! The office called me this morning before they opened to check on him.

All he is worried about is whether or not he can eat his Halloween candy! Ha! I won't let him have any until the hole closes up, and the gums are back to normal.