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here are several toddler teeth problems you need to watch for as a parent. You must keep your child’s teeth clean and healthy, as this will ensure several things: a healthy smile, no complications with eating or speaking, and most importantly, that your child has strong teeth in the future.
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Common Dental Problems in Children
Like in adults, many types of teeth problems in children can be complicated to diagnose and treat without a professional’s assistance. Dental issues with kids are not necessarily an easy fix either by Richmond kids dentist. Here are some common toddler teeth problems that your child may experience with their teeth.
Tooth Decay (Cavities)
Dental cavity, also known as tooth decay, are a common toddler teeth problems for children. Cavities form when the bacteria in plaque live on and eat the sugar found in foods and beverages that stick to teeth. In addition to eating sugary foods and drinks, other factors that contribute to tooth decay include having large amounts of plaque, brushing twice a day for two minutes at least, flossing once a day, and visiting your dentist for regular checkups.
Tooth Sensitivity
Tooth sensitivity is one of the most common toddler teeth problems in children. When your child’s teeth are sensitive, they feel extra pain when they eat hot or cold foods. They may even experience pain when drinking cold water. Tooth sensitivity can be caused by damage to the enamel, which is the outer surface of your teeth. As children grow, the tooth enamel becomes thinner because of normal wear and tear on their teeth. To help prevent tooth sensitivity for your child, we recommend bringing them in for regular dental checkups as recommended by the pediatric dentist near me, who can also suggest ways to keep their teeth strong and healthy as they get older. Teeth sensitivity could be caused by:
Newly Erupted Permanent Teeth
Newly erupted permanent teeth can make your child’s teeth sensitive, especially the first few days after they start coming in. This sensitivity is because the exposed roots are susceptible to temperature and texture changes.
Acid Erosion and Enamel Wear
When sugars and other substances touch the enamel of your child’s teeth, they can cause damage. When this happens, tooth decay may develop. The damage can also create rough edges on the tooth surface (called dental erosion) or thin spots – called thinning enamel. Many foods and drink items can cause tooth sensitivity by exposing the roots of your child’s teeth, damaging the nerve tissue inside, and irritating the gums (gum recession).
•Grinding Teeth (Bruxism)
It is one of the many types of teeth problems but preventable. Your child may grind their teeth while they’re asleep. Tooth enamel can wear away over time when this occurs, which can cause sensitive crooked teeth. This may be why your child complains of tooth sensitivity whenever they eat something sweet or sour. You may also notice that their crooked teeth look worn down or misshapen.
A Cracked or Missing Filling
Cracked or missing fillings one of the common tooth problems may result in pain and sensitivity. Some of the different things that can cause your child’s teeth to feel sensitive include: A broken or missing filling (cavity) or a loose restoration; A tooth that hasn’t fully formed due to shifting teeth and genetic issues; A small gap between two teeth called a diastema, caused by a space between permanent molars.
• Orthodontic Treatment
Orthodontic treatment is one of the most common tooth problems that causes of tooth sensitivity. It’s also known as tooth movement, and it’s a condition that occurs when a child’s teeth have been pushed out of alignment. It may be caused by regular brushing, trauma, or injury to the mouth during an accident or sporting activity.
Areas of Decay (Cavities)
Areas of decay (cavities) is one of the common tooth problems that cause teeth to feel sensitive. Areas of decay (holes), Chipped or broken tooth enamel, gum disease, and pollution seem to be hereditary but may develop if parents are not diligent in good oral hygiene practices.
Dental Emergencies
In children, dental emergencies such as crooked teeth can often be found in the mouth. Conditions range from toothache to impacted teeth. These conditions can also be treated at home or with advice from your pediatrician. Dental emergencies can arise at any time and unexpectedly. Pediatric dentists in Luna pediatric Dentistry have performed thousands of dental procedures to treat children’s urgent dental needs, including root canals, extractions, oral surgeries, pulp capping, and filling cavities.
Pediatric Gingivitis and Gum Disease
Pediatric gingivitis and gum disease can have significant consequences for children. Dental plaque is responsible for causing caries, periodontal disease (loosened teeth), and oral infections that can enter the bloodstream. It can result in various systemic conditions, including abscesses (inflammation), cellulitis, fungal lesions, and heart problems. Gum disease can come in three different forms, namely:
Chronic Gingivitis
Chronic pediatric gingivitis is a condition that usually develops as a result of gum disease. Over time, plaque and tartar accumulate on the teeth and form around the gums. That’s why chronic gingivitis is also referred to as a periodontal disease that causes teeth problems in children. In many cases, the symptoms of chronic gingivitis are mild and can take years to develop into something more serious.
Aggressive Periodontitis
This form of periodontitis is aggressive and can destroy the tooth structure. Aggressive periodontitis usually affects the gums, ligaments, and bones that support your teeth. It often progresses fast, so it’s critical to seek treatment right away.
Generalized Aggressive Periodontitis
Generalized aggressive periodontitis is a form of gum disease that attacks all areas of the gum tissue. Gum pockets may develop, causing the teeth to lose and eventually fall out. Generalized aggressive periodontitis can also cause severe tooth loss since the bacteria can travel through blood vessels to infect your heart and bloodstream.
Orthodontic Problems
The most common orthodontic problems in children are crowding in the teeth. Because their jaws are still growing and the permanent teeth have not crowned, permanent teeth can be pushed into contact by the growth of different tissues. It produces what is called an “overjet” (when front teeth overlap) or an underbite (when back teeth overlap). Teeth that are crowded together may also be able to get caught between each other and cause pain. If your child is cleaning their face with a toothbrush, a toothbrush head that is too big for your child’s mouth will cause these orthodontic problems.
Excessive Thumb Sucking
Excessive thumb sucking is the most common reason for the appearance of an extra tooth, called a “sixth finger. Excessive thumb-sucking forces the front teeth back and pinches off, obstructs or slows the permanent teeth from moving forward. It can result in crowding, malocclusion, and impacting a permanent tooth behind an existing baby tooth.
A child with excessive thumb sucking or pacifier for more than 12 months can develop an open bite associated with lip tie in infants and toddlers. When a patient’s mouth is open during sleep, it can cause the lower jawbone and teeth to sag forward from the pressure exerted by a tongue thrust habit. It can also cause nighttime breathing problems and jaw misalignment in young children. The problem could become more severe as a child’s face grows and develops, but children preventive dentistry through early intervention can prevent future problems from developing.
Dental Anxiety and Phobias
Dental anxiety, or dental phobia, is an intense or irrational fear of seeing the dentist. It’s common in children but not exclusive to them. Dental anxiety and phobias are among the most challenging types of phobias to treat because the person feels vulnerable and out of control when in the dentist’s chair experiencing pain or discomfort. There are four main types of teeth problems fears:
- Fear of unfamiliar treatment procedures
- Fear of feeling pain from treatment
- Concern that something terrible will happen to your teeth while at the dentist
- Fear that you will look different when you leave than before going as a result of oral problems
Grinding
Grinding teeth (also called bruxism) is when you clench your teeth together or grind them back and forth. You may do this unconsciously or during the day, and you might not even realize it. It is caused by stress, tension, or worry, but wearing down your teeth from grinding can start as young as age 4. If you think your child may have grinding teeth at night, visit children preventive dentistry and talk to your dentist at Luna Pediatric Dentistry about ways to protect them from scratching and wear and tear.
Bad Breath
Bad breath is very common in children. Most children have bad breaths at some point in their life. It is more likely to occur when there is an infection in the mouth or throat, so if your child starts having lousy breaths from nowhere, you probably want to see your dentist or pediatrician at children preventive dentistry. Children can have bad breath for a variety of reasons. The most common causes are:
- poor oral hygiene, significantly if it’s not helped by regular brushing, flossing, and rinsing with fluoride mouthwash.
- A diet including high in sugar and low in fibre.
- Tooth decay
Baby Teeth Loss
Baby teeth, or primary teeth, and early childhood caries are vital for your child’s dental health. They help develop your child’s bite and the jaw muscles that support their permanent teeth. Baby teeth also play an essential role in chewing, speech development, and preventing injuries. The appearance of baby teeth at their correct time during growth can even help prevent some disorders such as tooth decay and damage later on.
Canker Sores
Canker sores are common early childhood caries, and they usually go away by themselves. They are small red, white, or yellow bumps that form on the inside of the lip or cheek, generally after eating anything with either acid, sugar, or spicy food. Although they are painless, they can be painful while being formed. Children will typically feel a burning sensation and may taste something bitter like blood in their mouth before seeing a canker sore forming. This can occur because bacteria sometimes enter through your gums’ opening called ‘painful canker gateway.
Over-Retained Primary Teeth
Over-retained primary teeth are a common problem in children. If a child’s permanent tooth erupts before the primary tooth, why is it okay to wait? First, oral health problems can occur if more than one tooth comes in at once, making it essential to have the correct alignment and spacing between baby teeth and permanent ones for healthy development. Second, parents may feel anxious about caring for additional infant mouths, however due to many types of teeth problems, parents can teach their children how to clean their teeth until all baby teeth are removed.
Conclusion
Children must visit the dentist regularly to prevent early childhood caries, lip tie in infants and toddlers, oral diseases like tooth decay and gingivitis. It is a general belief that dental problems are only associated with those above 18 years of age. But this is not true. Children can develop dental issues around 13 years or even earlier than that. The oral cavity plays a vital role in the growth and development of a child. Hence children should take proper care of their teeth before and after the eruption of teeth. Dental problems in children can lead to other issues like incisor pain, pain when chewing, bad breath, lip tie in Infants and toddlers, and many more.