Knowing About Dental Pain And Cavities In Kids

Our teeth contain a soft tissue (pulp tissue) consisting of all the nerves and the inflammation or infection of this pulp tissue is what causes dental pain. This condition is clinically known as pulpitis. Pulpitis occurs when there’s damage caused to the tooth structure, which is most commonly a result of dental caries or cavities.

Poor oral hygiene, excess consumption of sweet foods and frequent binging are a few common reasons leading to dental caries. Food, when it gets stuck in between the teeth, is acted upon by bacteria and the bacteria start feeding on it in turn leading to tooth decay and cavity.

A few children may also experience this dental pain during tooth eruption when their emerging tooth pushes the deciduous tooth or the presence of a pus-filled abscess.

When experiencing this dental pain, a child might show symptoms like

· Throbbing pain or sharp pain

· Difficulty in having cold/hot foods

· Difficulty in brushing

· Swelling, fever

· Fatigue

On the other hand, you can also prevent this dental pain in your kids by taking a few precautionary steps like:

· Start cleaning your baby’s tooth with a clean cloth as soon as your baby’s first tooth erupts.

· Go for regular dental check-ups once your kid is around 1 year of age.

· Teach your kids to brush their teeth well.

· Use fluoride-rich toothpaste which helps in mineralization of the tooth and prevents tooth damage by lowering the dental load.

· Use xylitol gums, syrups, wipes, or solutions for your kids.

· Teach your kids to rinse their mouths after every snack/meal.

· Avoid letting your baby fall asleep with a milk bottle to prevent nursing caries.