Do not take the needs for dental care of your children lightly. Children cannot explain their dental problems until it becomes quite severe and the treatment might require interventions that can often turn painful. To avoid any scary and unpleasant experience for your child when visiting a dental clinic, take him or her to the right place specializing in dental care for children.  Keep a close watch on your child’s oral health because children are most prone to tooth decay, which is the most common infectious disease among American children. 

According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry’s recommendation, you must take your child to the dentist even before the first birthday.  The dentist will assess your child’s oral health to detect any signs of early developmental problems and tooth decay. You will get answers to all questions about taking care of your child’s oral health and hygiene that come to your mind as the dentist will explain how to take proper care of your child’s teeth.  To take appropriate care of your infant’s teeth, you must take the child for a check-up every six months. 

If problems crop up in between, then you must consult emergency dental professionals. Keeping in touch with dentists is especially important for children during their formative years. Do not tag your children’s need for dental healthcare with yours. Children need specialized oral care, and parents must learn a few things from the dentists to monitor their oral health at home. Despite the periodic dental checkup, interim dental might be necessary if you detect some signs of potential problems with your child’s oral health.

In this article, we will discuss some telling signs of tooth problems in children that should help take timely action.

  1. Tooth pain that does not go away

Tooth pain can catch your child off-guard and start at any time. It causes a lot of discomforts and disrupts the regular life of the child. Sometimes the pain might subside, but the chances of recurrence remain if the cause of the pain remains undetected. While the child might consider the discomfort as tooth pain, it can be tooth sensitivity as the child might experience a tingling and sharp sensation when eating cold foods.  Moreover, it is necessary to observe how the pain behaves and whether it is persistent, which can sign tooth decay. It can also happen due to a chipped tooth, and only a pediatric dentist can diagnose the problem and initiate proper treatment. 

  1. Tooth sensitivity

If your child experiences tooth sensitivity when consuming hot or cold foods and beverages, possibly it can be due to a cavity in the tooth.  Avoid the confusion in identifying the problem correctly because the child might sometimes consider it as tooth pain. Ask the child repeatedly to describe the problem and the situations that aggravate it so that you can explain it correctly to the dentist. On examining the child, the dentist can determine the root cause of the problem and start the treatment.

  1. White or brown spots on teeth

 Besides taking your child for a dental check-up every six months, regularly examine the child’s teeth at home to detect any early signs of potential problems. If you notice white/ chalky spots on your child’s teeth, it could be the sign of dental caries or a cavity that is just developing.  If any tooth turns black or brown or has broken fragments, it can be a sign of tooth decay that can progress rapidly and lead to an emergency. As soon as you see any tooth discoloration, take your child to a dentist to know the problem and seeking proper treatment.

  1. Irritated gums

If you see that your child’s gums are hurting after brushing or bleeding or have become swollen and red, it indicates severe inflammation and infection that needs immediate treatment. Delaying the treatment will only increase your child’s suffering as the problem will get worse in no time. Plaque buildup can be a reason for swollen gums that can ultimately result in tooth loss. Gum irritation may indicate gingivitis or other oral health implications that only a dentist can address satisfactorily.

  1. Bad breath

Gum disease does not become visible until it sets in deep, and if your child seems to have bad breath that remains even after brushing, you must consider it as a red flag because it can be due to gum problems. Gum disease is a severe problem that needs immediate treatment. Take your child to a dentist specializing in pediatric dentistry and experienced in handling dental issues of children.  The dentist can unearth the root cause of the problem and start the right treatment. Remember that you aren’t alone in this and that you can always get help from the dentist in Sherman.

Parents must closely monitor their child’s oral health to address problems before it turns serious.