5 Reasons Your Child May Say, “Ouch, My Mouth Hurts!”

Help your child find relief from dental pain by learning about the common causes, as well as the importance of getting treatment right away.

What Causes Dental Pain in Children?

While cavities are the most common cause of pain in the teeth and gums, children are susceptible to several oral health conditions, from infections to impaction. Prompt diagnosis and treatment of dental problems can relieve your child’s pain and help keep their teeth and gums healthy. While baby teeth will eventually fall out, it is important to keep them healthy to set the stage for long-term oral health.

If your child complains of dental pain, you need to schedule an appointment with a dentist for children in Little Rock to address the issue immediately. Your child’s dentist will check for the five following causes of pain in the teeth and gums during the exam.

1. Cavities

The prevalence and severity of children with cavities has been increasing in the past decade. Without early intervention, easily repairable cavities can quickly reach the dentin and pulp levels of the tooth, which may require a root canal or extraction to stop the rapid rate of tooth decay. Since cavities typically only cause pain as decay worsens, dental checkups every six months are the best way to keep cavities from moving past the enamel.

2. Impaction

As your child loses their baby teeth, their adult teeth slowly move toward the gums into the vacant space. If the adult teeth do not properly line up with the existing oral structures, the tooth can become impacted, or stuck below the gum line. This condition requires immediate dental care to prevent infection and protect nearby teeth from damage.

3. Gum Irritants

Crunchy or hard foods can get trapped in the periodontal pockets around each tooth, causing irritation that leaves your child in pain. If you cannot gently dislodge the foreign material with floss, your child will need to visit a dental professional. By using dental picks, suction and water jets, your child’s dentist can remove the irritants without causing damage to the teeth or gums.

4. Dental Trauma

Young children often test their physical abilities, leading to falls that can cause dental trauma. Signs of deep gum and tooth trauma, such as discoloration, may only appear well after the damage occurs – increasing the risk of complications. If you suspect your child injured his or her teeth and gums during an accident, immediately make a dental appointment to have the damage evaluated with an examination and x-ray.

5. Infection

Without prompt treatment, conditions affecting the teeth and gums can cause infections to develop deep within the tooth or below the gum line. A dental infection, or abscess, can be particularly dangerous because of the proximity to the brain’s blood supply – immediate treatment is crucial. In addition to mouth, face and jaw pain, signs of a dental infection include redness, swelling and fever.

Scheduling an Appointment for Your Child

To receive care for your child’s common dental problems, call 501-683-8886 today or schedule an appointment at Arkansas Family Dental in Little Rock. Your child will receive a examination by a dentist skilled in diagnosing and treating tooth and gum pain.