Top most common dental problems in children

As a parent, you want the best for your child, including optimal dental health. Promoting healthy oral hygiene habits in your children is essential for avoiding common dental problems. Proactive and preventative care is crucial for preventing dental-related issues in children.

In this article, we will be discussing some of the most common dental issues experienced by children. If your child faces any of these issues, you need to find a pediatric dentist near you immediately:

Tooth decay or cavities
Your child might not be proficient in flossing and brushing without supervision. Also, if they have a diet heavy in sugar, they might be facing some serious cavities issues. Tooth decay occurs when the sticky plaque starts accumulating on the tooth’s surface. There is an acid present in the plaque that eats the enamel and wears away at the tooth. That is why it is important that you help your child brush their teeth until they are able to grasp and control the toothbrush firmly on their own. It is your responsibility to make sure that your child is removing food particles, bacteria, and plaque from their teeth daily to avoid early tooth decay.

In case they do still develop a cavity, you will have to get them a tooth filling in which the decay will be drilled away and the hole will be filled using a hard composite material.

Tooth sensitivity
Tooth sensitivity can be distracting and uncomfortable. It can even disrupt your child’s routine and focus. There can be several contributing factors to tooth sensitivity in your child. Here are a few of these factors:

1.Tooth decay or cavities
2.Enamel wear and acid erosion
3.Orthodontic treatment
4.Newly erupted permanent teeth
5.A missing or cracked filling
6.Bruxism (teeth grinding)

If your child suffers from tooth sensitivity, there are various treatments available for reducing discomfort and pain. Whatever the problem be, you must see your dentist immediately.

Dental emergencies
Dental emergencies can occur at any time like when your child is playing sports, when they are riding a bike, or when they are roughhousing with their sibling. If your child has been in any such accident, their teeth might have broken, cracked, or chipped. In severe cases, a permanent tooth might have completely knocked out. If this happens, you must visit your child’s dentist immediately. Make sure that you retrieve the tooth and place it in clean water, saline solution, or a glass of milk.

Even though there is not a lot you can do to prevent dental emergencies, you can give your child a custom mouthguard to protect them from sports-related injuries.

Pediatric gum disease and gingivitis
Gum disease and gingivitis can affect you and your child. Gingivitis is a precursor to gum disease that is marked by red and swollen gums that bleed when your child starts brushing or flossing.

If your child has poor oral hygiene, the gum disease will become more aggressive. It will lead to areas of swelling, pain in the mouth, and gum recession. In most cases, you can avoid these problems by making sure that your child brushes and flosses daily. However, if your child has crowded and crooked teeth that don’t let them clean their teeth, gum disease or gingivitis might not be prevented.

Orthodontic problems
It is very rare for children to have straight teeth with no interventions. Thankfully, there are several orthodontic treatments that can help your child smile with confidence. The most common reason for orthodontic problems is genetics. The shape and size of your child’s jaw determines how their teeth will grow and come together. Having misaligned teeth can cause several issues like underbite, open bite, overbite, and spacing problems.

It is best that you start the orthodontic treatment of your child at an early age. Orthodontic problems cause more than just a crooked smile. Misalignments and overcrowding can lead to jaw problems, oral hygiene issues, and cracked teeth.

Excessive thumb sucking
Your child might have used pacifiers or thumb-sucking at an early age for soothing anxiety. However, if they continue to do this when they are old, it can affect their teeth development. Chronic thumb sucking can result in an open bite, a condition when the lower front teeth aren’t together with the upper front teeth. If your child has this condition, there will be a gap left in your mouth, even when it is closed. This makes biting and chewing difficult and can also affect their speech.
 

As a parent, you need to be a positive role model in your child’s life and make sure that they take proper care of their oral hygiene. Work with the best pediatric dentist Bangalore at Rainbow Children's Hospital to ensure that your child avoids these common dental problems.