What to do if Your Child has a Toothache
As a parent, you want to immediately remedy any discomfort your child experiences. If your child complains of a toothache, you may have to do a bit of detective work to determine the cause. Most people assume that tooth pain signals a cavity. While dental discomfort may, indeed, be the result of dental decay, toothaches can have other causes, as well. Dr. Bevin Malley and the pediatric dental team at Carolina Kids Dentistry offer some tips on discovering the source of your child’s pain and treating it.
What else could it be?
● One of the most common causes of dental discomfort in kids is a food particle wedged between two teeth.
● A loose filling can cause dental discomfort, as can a chipped or cracked tooth.
● A child may complain of dental pain when they’ve actually bitten their tongue, lip, or the inside of the mouth.
● A loose primary tooth can also cause discomfort.
What do I do?
Little ones often can’t pinpoint the location of discomfort, so you’ll need to gently look inside the child’s mouth to see if you can ascertain the cause of the distress.
● If the pain is caused by food stuck between teeth, then gently flossing the area will remove the food and ease the pain.
● A cold pack applied to the face in the area of the sore tooth may help alleviate discomfort.
● Oftentimes, having a child rinse with warm water or warm salted water can provide relief.
● Over-the-counter pain relievers, given at the appropriate dosage, are also useful.
● Avoid feeding your child hard, salty, sugary, hot, or extremely cold foods.
Call Us
If your child’s discomfort doesn’t respond to the treatments above within 12 to 24 hours, you feel that an emergency situation exists, or your intuition tells you that something isn’t quite right, don’t hesitate to call us. You can relay your child’s symptoms over the phone, and we’ll let you know whether to bring your child for a visit to our Mint Hill pediatric dentist’s office. Dr. Malley and our caring team are here for you and your family.