What do you do if your child has a Toothache?
One of the most common reasons parents bring in their kids to my Pediatric dental clinic is when their child complains of a toothache.
Toothache is the mouth’s way of signaling to us that something isn’t quite right. As a parent you can ask your child which tooth is hurting them and how long has it been this way and see for yourself if there’s any damage to your child’s teeth. For example, are there any holes or is there any discoloration in their tooth and if there is any swelling or redness around their gum. One thing you should definitely try and do is clean your child’s teeth and remove any wedged food debris in between their teeth if there is any.
Tooth decay is the most common reason why children suffer from toothaches. Whether it is a small dental cavity or a more severe form of decay, once the first layer of your child’s tooth has been attacked by bacteria, it might start hurting them. If their tooth decay is not caught and treated early it may eventually reach the center of their tooth, causing an infection. This not only causes extreme pain to your child but it can also have severe consequences to their permanent teeth in the long term.
To decrease your child’s pain avoid giving them any hard foods or hard candy. As for pain medication, it is usually safe to give them painkillers in accordance with their weight and age after consulting a Pediatric Dentist. However, just giving your child painkillers is not enough. As this will only decrease their pain temporarily. In its early stages, a toothache could be the result of a minor dental problem that can be easily treated by your children’s dentist. If you ignore it in the days to come it will definitely worsen.
If your child complains of tooth pain, please don’t assume that it will go away by itself and it’s not a big deal.
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry advises regular Pediatric dental checkups and cleanings so as to help to minimize these risks. If you have any queries with regards to your child’s oral health or if your child is suffering from a toothache, you can call my clinic on 065242550 and we would be happy to answer all your queries.