Pediatric Dental Problems. When to See a Dentist for Your Kids Dental Issues?

For kids, pain can be a complicated experience. Usually, damage to any tissue is a primary cause of pain, but pain can also occur due to various indirect factors. Just like, consuming chocolate can initiate migraine pain in some individuals. Kid's pains are critical, and we should be aware of how we can handle our kid's toothache issues.

When teeth are physically perfect and healthy, there is hardly anything that we could feel. It is because of the tooth enamel that covers our teeth. Enamel is the hardest element of our human bodies, which can withstand the impact of chewing and protects the tooth pulp. 

Pulp is a delicate tissue found at the center of every tooth. If the enamel gets damaged by decay or injury, it exposes the pulp and can cause irritation and inflammation to the tooth pulp. This irritation sends signals to the pain senses of our kid’s brains, pointing to the dental issues.

When it Becomes Important to Consult a Dentist for Pediatric Tooth Problems?

While some toothaches are because of pre-existing conditions, like sinus issues, mainly toothaches occur because of tooth decay, injury, or damage. But the question still stands as to when do we consult a dentist for a child’s toothache.

In most cases, you have to see a dentist, as healthy teeth do not trigger pains. Toothaches can be a stressful experience for your beloved child, and hence we should not ignore them. Consulting a dentist and timely treatment will ensure lesser pain and stress to your child’s dental issue.

You can also consult with Raina Dental Care to get your kid's toothaches treated and get tips for maintaining a healthy mouth.

Common Pediatric Dental Problems

Let us discuss how to deal with common pediatric dental injuries and problems. A healthy mouth encourages a smile that is pain-free, healthy, and beautiful.

1. Toothaches

Toothaches can range from minor niggles to acute pains, which can be discomforting and severe issues. Generally, reasons for toothaches are oral infection, gum diseases, and tooth decay. However, they can also be caused by clenching and grinding of teeth.

Whatever the reasons, and even if you cannot notice any visible damage, a child’s tooth pain needs immediate dentist attention. Till the time you visit a dentist, you can give temporary relief to your child’s tooth pain by:

• Giving over-the-counter dental pain killers as per the dosage mentioned.
• Soak a cotton swab with a few drops of clove oil and apply it to the painful area.
• Swish your kid’s mouth with saltwater.

2. Swelling and Pain

If your child feels sensations while chewing, painful teeth, red gums, or swelling in the face, this could be due to an abscessed tooth. It happens due to bacterial infections and results in pus getting collected at the tooth’s root or inside the gums. An abscessed tooth causes severe pain in the affected tooth, which could also radiate pains on the jaw, neck, or ears.

If this severe toothache is accompanied by difficulty swallowing or breathing, increased heart rate, face swelling, and fever, your child needs immediate emergency treatment. These added symptoms mean that infection has spread across the jaw and nearby tissues. It calls for quick medical attention to avoid critical to life conditions referred to as sepsis.

3. Breaks and Chips

Breaks and chips may or may not result in pain. But still, they should be treated at the earliest to avoid tooth loss, tooth abscess, pain, and further damage.

Visit a dentist if your kid has a broken, cracked, or chipped tooth. To ease the pain temporarily, you can swish the teeth with warm and salted water or apply an ice pack on your child’s cheek for 15 minutes every hour.

4. Unnatural and Forceful Tooth Knockout

Every human's baby teeth fall off naturally, but the permanent teeth after that must not move or loosen unless knocked out. So, an unnatural tooth knockout is considered a severe dental injury and should get immediate dentist attention. We should take the unnatural tooth knockout in kids seriously to prevent future dental complications.

In such conditions, try to control the kid's bleeding by using sterile gauze and then try finding the tooth. If you find it, rinse it gently with water without touching the roots of the tooth. Preserve the tooth in cold milk or ADA-approved tooth-preserving product. Hand over the tooth to the dentist when you visit them.

5. Gum Bleeding

If you notice your kid’s gums bleeding, swollen, or reddish, this could be gingivitis. It is an early condition of periodontal disease. Generally, any extra collection of plaque in the gum line can cause gingivitis. Plaques generally cause irritation to your kid's gums and can lead to bleeding gums and make them swollen and red.

Although gingivitis does not require immediate dental care, you must visit a dentist to avoid further dental problems and deep cleaning. Gingivitis is not a critical condition, but if left unattended can lead to tissue damage and tooth loss.

6. Inner Mouth Injuries to Tongue, Lips, or Cheeks

A child engages in many outdoor activities like biking, playing, climbing, sports, and running. Accidents can happen during these and can cause minor injuries or cuts inside the mouth. However, we can treat most of these injuries with home remedies and first aid. Like, to reduce swelling or bleeding, you can rinse the cut with cold water and apply an ice pack over it.

But if the injury has caused tissue damage and the bleeding does not stop, consider it a critical injury and visit a dentist immediately. For internal mouth injuries, try to stop the bleeding first and then visit a dentist to get it treated and restored.

Prevention is the Best Remedy

To prevent serious dental issues in kids, you should visit a dentist twice a year. A regular dentist visit ensures effective oral health and dental well-being during their growth ages. However, some unfortunate events can also cause dental problems. To be prepared for emergency dental situations, save your dentist’s personnel and their clinic’s number to seek immediate consultation.