Common Pediatric Dental Issues and How to Take Proper Care of Your Child’s Teeth

Pediatric dentistry involves treating children’s teeth and maintaining good health of the teeth after treatment. Children do not have fully developed sets of teeth, thus require special handling. The most common dental problems in children are dental cavities, caries, and gingivitis.

Treating Children’s Dental Problems

The several problems that affect children’s teeth require fast and specific treatment. This prevents issues that may arise in the future.

Dental Cavities

Cavities are holes in the teeth that are a result of tooth decay. There are initially small but eventually grow if left untreated. They are not painful at first; hence are likely to be left unnoticed. Pediatric dentist in Huntington Beach recommends regular check-ups for children to discover any developing dental problems. The symptoms of cavities are:

• Tooth sensitivity
• Sharp pains on your tooth
• A visible hole on your child’s tooth
• White or black staining on the tooth

In case cavities are found on your child’s teeth, there are some different procedures that may be used to manage it.  The following are the treatment options.

1. Fillings-the dentist drills and removes the decayed part out of the tooth. Your dentist then fills the drilled part using silver, composite resin, or gold.
2. Root canal-since sometimes, tooth decay may cause the death of nerves on the root of the tooth. Your dentist removes the nerve, blood vessel, and decayed tissue. He or she then applies medication on the affected part and fills it.
3. Dental crowns-when the child’s tooth is severely damaged; your dentist might consider replacing the whole tooth using a custom-fit cap called a crown.

Gingivitis

Gingivitis is a problem indicated by bleeding gums. It is caused by the accumulation of plaque and tartar on the teeth. The symptoms of gingivitis are:

• Gums that are dark-red in color
• Swollen gums
• Bleeding of gums easily when you brush your child’s teeth
• Tenderness of the gums

Treatment reveres the symptoms and prevents progression. The treatment options for gingivitis are:

1. A professional dental cleaning-a procedure known as scaling is used to remove plaque and tartar beneath the gums. Another procedure known as root planing removes bacteria products,  produced by plaque and inflammation. Laser and ultrasonic devices are used to perform this procedure.
2. A dental restoration-your dentist might consider removing poorly fitted crowns and misaligned teeth that may lead to inflammation of the gums, hence making it hard to remove plaque.
3. Your dentist in Huntington Beach CA also help in planning a daily oral care program to prevent gingivitis.

Taking Care of Your Child’s Teeth

Before developing the dental problems above and after the treatment, there are certain lifestyle remedies to prevent gingivitis.

• Ensure your child brushes his or her teeth at least twice daily
• Make sure the toothbrush has soft bristles
• Floss your child teeth daily for children above 2 years
• A balanced diet with less sugary foodstuffs is essential
• Prevent transfer of bacteria to your child’s mouth by not sharing eating utensils
• Schedule routine check-ups with your dentist
• Biting on hard stuff may break or weaken your child’s teeth thus make sure they do not bit on ice, pencils or pens

Residents of Huntington Beach Ca you can find a pediatric dentist at Impression Dental Care. Our dentists are highly experienced and passionate about their work; thus, quality services are offered. To locate a pediatric dentist near you, a google search of our dentistry would be helpful.