Toothache in Children
Kids can feel blindsided by a toothache. They don’t know what’s causing the pain or why, but want it to stop immediately. At Kid Grins Pediatric Dentistry in Edina, MN, Dr. Mitchell Loeb diagnoses toothaches in children and provides toothache pain relief right away.
If your child needs emergency dental care right now, call (952) 592-3400.
Possible Causes of Toothaches in Kids
There are many possible reasons for toothaches in children. Some are a dental emergency and require immediate attention, others may be a temporary inconvenience. When parents aren’t sure what’s going on with their kid’s teeth, always call your pediatric dentist.
Here are the most likely causes of a child’s toothache:
- Cavities. Tooth decay is the most common cause of toothache in children. When tooth enamel is eroded and bacteria reaches the inner pulp, the pain kicks in.
- Tooth eruption. When a permanent tooth works its way to the surface, it can put pressure on gum tissue or cause pain pushing a baby tooth out of the way.
- Gum infection. Even kids can get gingivitis, the earliest stage of gum disease, typically caused by poor brushing and resulting in red, tender, painful gums.
- Damage. A broken or cracked tooth, whether the fracture is visible or invisible, can create extreme sensitivity to temperature and pressure.
- Sensitive teeth. Enamel is strong but some children have thin enamel that makes them more susceptible to pain and infections.
- Stuck food. Sharp or hard foods can get stuck between teeth or in the gums and cause irritation and acute pain.
- Impacted wisdom teeth. Older teens are candidates for impacted or erupting wisdom teeth. When not removed, third molars can cause extreme tooth pain.
Toothache Solutions for Kids
Your child can get toothache pain relief when you consult your pediatric dentist for help. The goal is to stop the problem before it gets any worse or becomes a severe emergency. These toothache solutions can prevent complications and end the tooth pain.
- Tooth-colored fillings. When tooth decay has not traveled far into the tooth but caused a cavity, a tooth-colored filling effectively cleans out the problem and corrects the tooth while blending into the rest of your child’s teeth.
- Dental crown. If a cavity is too large to fix with a tooth-colored filling and needs a more robust correction, a dental crown is customized to cap the tooth, stop the toothache, and ward off future problems.
- Dental sealants. Pediatric dentists recommend sealants for fully erupted adult molars in children to protect the crevices of teeth and minimize the likelihood of cavities. If your child frequently suffers from tooth decay, invest in this preventive pediatric dental care.
- Root canal therapy. A deep cavity or tooth infection causes extreme pain and sometimes the only solution for this problem is to remove the diseased tooth pulp and seal the tooth and all its canals. A crown is placed on the treated tooth to protect it after the procedure.
- Extraction. Tooth extraction is not the easy answer to a toothache in children and is only used when there is no other way to preserve oral health. Every baby tooth plays a role in bite and alignment. Remove one and teeth could shift incorrectly, erupt where they don’t belong, or interrupt speech.
Preventive Dental Care to Minimize Toothaches in Children
Keep up with your child’s dental exam and teeth cleaning every six months and any developing oral health problems will be caught by your dental team or on x-rays before any toothaches in children can develop.
If your child has toothache symptoms that interrupt daily life, like throbbing pain, red or swollen gums, trouble eating, bad breath, or fever, seek pain relief from Dr. Loeb and his dental team by contacting us right away. Toothaches in children do not go away on their own.
