Did you know, it is recommended that your child has a dental check-up every six months? This helps keep problems at bay and their teeth healthy. But what happens when an emergency occurs?
Often, it can be hard to know how serious problems are. Read on as we discuss seven signs your child needs an emergency pediatric dentist.
1. Chipped and Cracked Teeth
Chipped and cracked teeth can be a common occurrence in children. As they begin to explore the world around them, accidents are bound to happen. Very often these can result in damage to the teeth.
Cracks and chips may seem minor, but they can quickly develop into something worse. They offer great places for food and sugars to get lodged, resulting in decay of the tooth itself.
Clean chips on the corners of the teeth should be fine. Keep watching them, and if they do not get any bigger you have no cause for concern.
Vertical and diagonal cracks across a child’s tooth should be tended to immediately. If they get bigger, they can split down to the root causing pain. Contact a pediatric dentist in Franklin TN, and discuss making repairs.
2. Bleeding Gums
Gums are a very sensitive area of the mouth. It is not uncommon for them to bleed when subjected to minor trauma, such as excessive brushing or a small impact.
When gums begin to bleed excessively, it is a sign of gum disease and you may need the help of local Brentwood children’s dentistry specialists.
Swelling is also a symptom of gum disease and may be accompanied by redness or bleeding. When untreated, further large areas of swelling could indicate the presence of an abscess. These are extremely painful and can cause illness if they pop.
Abscesses themselves are always a result of tooth decay. Therefore, your local pediatric dentist in Nashville TN or surrounding areas will need to treat the tooth and gums.
When your child brushes their teeth, watch out for any signs of swelling or gum disease. It is much easier to treat if you catch it in the developing stages.
3. Loose Teeth With Pain
Children naturally lose their baby teeth as they grow older. In fact, it is one of their milestone events and can be a big-time for the child. When the tooth becomes loose, mild discomfort is quite normal.
Constant pain, however, is not. This could be the sign of an infection and you need the best emergency pediatric dentist to treat it. Leaving it to spread not only causes distress but can result in other problems within the oral cavity including tooth decay.
Emergency dental care will start by addressing the tooth in question. It may need to be removed. After this, the dentist will discuss treatment for the wider infection and may give a prescription.
4. Jaw Pain
Nerves in the teeth can have an impact all over the upper body. However, one place intrinsically linked to the mouth is the jaw. It helps the teeth grind down food into smaller, easier-to-digest chunks.
Luckily, pain in the jaw is often not a serious problem. For your child though, it may be causing a lot of pain and discomfort. If they struggle to open their mouth wide when eating or yawning, then take them to a dentist.
Very often, they could be clenching the jaw too much. Many people do this unconsciously during sleep. The dentist will create a bite guard for them to wear when they sleep, preventing the issues.
5. Teeth Changing Color
Teeth should be a white to off-white color. In some cases, mild yellow is also acceptable in baby teeth. However, other colors are a serious sign.
If a tooth goes grey or black, it is a sign that it is decaying or dying. Genetic problems can be to blame in rare circumstances. Either way, your child will need dental treatment to save the tooth and preventative measures to stop it from happening again.
6. Bad Breath
Bad breath can be unavoidable when you wake up in the morning, or if you eat strong foods. However, if brushing and cleaning the teeth does not remove odor, it can be a sign of more serious problems.
Persistent bad breath is usually an indicator of tooth decay or gum disease. You don’t even need to have teeth that look bad or decayed to have this problem. It may be that the infection is further back in the mouth and harder to see.
7. Removed Adult Teeth
When adult teeth form, it is imperative to instill a regime that makes your child look after them. These teeth are the ones we have for life, and early onset problems now can mean expensive repairs later down the line.
If one happens to come out due to an accident, it is important to keep the tooth healthy to have it put back into the mouth. Hold it by the crown, and avoid touching the root. Rinse it off in clean, warm water.
Put the tooth back in the hole if you are able. If not, place it in a glass of milk. An emergency dentist will attempt to reinsert the tooth or create a new one if this is not possible.
Finding an Emergency Pediatric Dentist
It helps to have an emergency pediatric dentist on call. A time may come when you need to move quickly, and you don’t have time to be searching the internet for recommendations.
Your first stop should be Brentwood Pediatric Dentist. We specialize in making children feel welcome and help banish the fear of the dentist visit. Contact us here to schedule an appointment and start your child on the path to perfect oral health.