Here's a mistake that a lot of parents make:
They assume that children are too young to get cavities and don't pay close attention to their oral health.
In reality, dental caries is the most common chronic disease in both children and adults. One CDC report shows that over half of the children aged between six and eight years old have had at least one cavity in their primary teeth.
So, what can you do about this?
Firstly, prevention is usually the best measure. Brush your child's teeth thoroughly two times a day, limit sugary snacks, and take them to regular dental visits.
It's also important to know how to identify the early signs of tooth decay so that you can take the right measures as soon as possible.
You probably know what to do when you notice a brown or black spot on one of your child's teeth. Call their dentist and schedule an appointment with them because that's likely a cavity. But, did you know that in their early stages cavities present themselves as white spots? That's usually a sign of demineralization and if left untreated, it will progress and turn into a cavity.
If your child is complaining about pain or discomfort when eating or drinking certain foods or beverages, especially cold or hot ones, then that could be a sign of decay. The discomfort they are experiencing happens because as the cavity eats away at the enamel, it exposes the nerve endings from inside the tooth.
In the early stage of demineralization, decay doesn't usually create any trouble. That's why it's so easy for cavities to go unnoticed until they reach the inner layers of the tooth. But, as the decay reaches deeper, your child might start complaining about sudden tooth pain. If that's the case, then you should schedule an appointment with their dentist as soon as possible.
If you can't pinpoint your child's bad breath to something they ate and you notice it to be a persistent problem, then that may be a sign of excessive bacteria in their mouth. This bacteria will produce acids when feeding on food particles, and this acid will weaken the enamel, leading to decay.
This is another question we get asked often. A lot of parents assume that cavities aren't really a problem in primary teeth since these will fall out anyway. But, your child's primary teeth will set the tone for their future oral health. A baby tooth that falls out too early because of decay, for example, can affect the development of your kid's permanent teeth.
So, if you suspect that your child might have a cavity, get in touch with Smilehaus Pediatric Dentistry right away.
Contact us online to book your appointment.
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