5 Dangerous Signs That You Should Take Your Child to the Dentist
There are a lot of oral issues that can affect not only adults but children as well. However, some parents still think that there is no reason to visit the dentist with their children since all the problems will disappear on their own. The reality is that such an attitude may lead to serious complications that would be more difficult to treat. In this article, we gathered five dangerous signs that you should take your child to the dentist.
1. Your child has a toothache
There are a few reasons why your child may experience a toothache. The most common of them are increased teeth sensitivity, gum disease, and tooth decay. Increased teeth sensitivity develops when the tooth enamel becomes thin that various irritants like sweets, hot or cold foods and drinks can cause toothache.
Gum disease is also common in children that maintain poor oral hygiene. Dental plaque contains a lot of bacteria that cause inflammation of gums. Tooth decay in baby teeth is also dangerous since it can affect the developing permanent teeth.
2. Your child has a bad breath
Bad breath (halitosis) may also develop in children. Despite the fact that in most cases it is caused by smelly food or poor oral hygiene, there are several oral issues that can also cause an unpleasant smell from the child’s mouth.
Gum disease occurs because of the bacteria overgrowth in the mouth. It can even lead to the development of gum pockets that tend to accumulate plaque and food particles. As a result, a child may have bad breath. Tooth decay is also caused by bacteria. Due to the fact that the cavities can also accumulate bacteria, food debris, and dental plaque, an unpleasant breath smell is also common in children with tooth decay.
3. Your child grinds teeth
Teeth grinding, also called bruxism, is an extremely common condition in children. There are two types of bruxism, sleep and awake. In most cases, children clench their teeth at night. It may lead to jaw pain and tooth enamel thinning.
Despite the fact that teeth grinding usually doesn’t require any complicated treatment, it is better to take your child to the pediatric dentist with this issue. The doctor may recommend using night mouthguards to prevent the enamel wear and other unpleasant consequences.
4. Your child broke a tooth
A broken tooth can happen with every active child. There is no need to panic but the visit to the dentist shouldn’t be delayed. Despite the fact that broken baby teeth can cause no pain, the doctor should examine the child’s oral cavity to exclude other injuries. If there is a gum injury, it is essential to stop bleeding and disinfect the wound.
If the child brokes only a tip of the tooth, it can be fixed with a regular tooth filling. However, if the child broke an entire permanent tooth, the treatment may be more complicated. In rare cases, it is possible to attach (re-implant) the broken tooth. Otherwise, the dentist may need to place a dental crown over the fractured tooth.
5. Your child has malocclusion
Malocclusion (poor bite) is a condition in which a person has misaligned upper and lower teeth. In most cases, it develops in childhood. You should understand that it is quite difficult to treat malocclusion in adults. That’s why it is essential to start treatment right after you have noticed the signs of this condition.
Malocclusion can cause plenty of unpleasant symptoms and complications. If the child has an advanced malocclusion, hos or her teeth may also be crooked significantly that may complicate eating and talking. During treatment, the orthodontist may remove baby teeth to make more room for permanent teeth. Wearing braces and retainers usually corrects poor bite and make teeth more even.