Tips From Marieve Rodriguez DMD, a Kid’s Dentist, on Treating Toothaches
As a kids dentist, Marieve Rodriguez DMD understands how easy it is for children to get toothaches. Even parents who do their best to keep their child’s teeth healthy may find that an occasional toothache is causing their child distress. Preventative care can reduce the risk of these occurrences, so we recommend bringing your child to our office for a bi-annual teeth cleaning. During these appointments, we will clean and examine their teeth, looking for signs of cavities and infections. By detecting them early and providing immediate treatment, we can often prevent discomfort and irritation. It is when a condition goes untreated that the discomfort becomes worse. If, in spite of ongoing dental care, your child develops a toothache, you may not know what to do about it. Here are a few tips we suggest:
Rinse out their mouth. It can be difficult to see what is happening inside of your child’s mouth if they have recently eaten. Begin by rinsing their mouth with water, and then shine a flashlight to see if there are any cuts or abrasions. This is common after eating too much candy or something sharp, like chips. In this case, you can have them rinse with warm salt water, but the mouth will need to heal on its own.
Brush their teeth. As a kids dentist, Marieve Rodriguez DMD usually recommends that parents brush and floss their child’s teeth if they are complaining of a toothache. This is because of how easy it is for food to become trapped. Young children might have a difficult time understanding this concept, so brush and floss for them. Afterwards, wait a few minutes and then ask if their tooth feels better.
Use a cold compress. If your child is experiencing any swelling, a cold compress will help to reduce it so they can feel better. Regardless of why they have a toothache, this will usually help temporarily, and you may want to use it while driving to our office for care.
Call our office. If a toothache does not go away, call our kids dentist office to schedule an appointment with Marieve Rodriguez DMD. We will examine your child’s teeth, clean them to remove any trapped food particles and plaque, and then look for signs of decay. If they have a cavity, it can cause discomfort. By removing the decayed portion of the tooth and placing a filling, we can help them feel better right away.
Regardless of why your child has a toothache, we can help them to feel better immediately. As a parent, consider what causes toothaches in the first place, so we can help to prevent them together. One of the leading causes is cavities, so it is important to limit how much sugar, starch, and acidic foods your child eats. You should also brush their teeth two to three times per day with a fluoride toothpaste and bring them to our office for a professional cleaning twice per year. Trauma is another factor, and you can help reduce it by having them wear a mouth guard while playing sports. For more information and tips, give our office a call.
