Toothache Awareness

National Toothache Day is February 9th. Did you even know there was such an event? Dentists do for sure, since it’s such a big part of their practices, especially involving children’s teeth. Kids just love their candy and juice to the detriment of their chompers. At Ponte Vedra Pediatric Dentistry, we are skilled at taking care of tooth and mouth issues in our littlest patients to keep their smiles as healthy as possible.

We want to figure out the cause right away and fix it fast so they aren’t in any pain or have trouble eating. In rare cases, they may need to have some childhood tooth extraction performed. That’s why, in honor of National Toothache Day, we look at some of the reasons for toothache pain. More importantly, we can look at how we can fix it at our pediatric dentist practice.

The Main Reason for a Toothache in Your Child

Some of the main reasons for a toothache in your child is due to a cavity or tooth decay. They will probably let you know when they are experiencing pain or sensitivity in a section of their mouth. This can occur when they are biting down on some harder foods or with hot or cold liquids. That pain signal is a sign that something is wrong with a tooth, specifically in the pulp area inside the enamel where all the nerves and vessels are located. When the tooth is in decay, it’s going to feel irritated and painful, perhaps radiating down into your child’s jaw.

What to Do When Your Child Has a Toothache

If your child is complaining of tooth pain, listen to their concerns, and make an appointment to come see us at Ponte Vedra family dentistry practice. We will provide the best care and a positive approach to making sure all their dental needs are met.

It may be helpful to give your child some children’s Tylenol or Motrin to help with the pain and inflammation. You can rinse their mouth out with some lukewarm water and table salt dissolved in it to help irrigate the area. That can make the area feel less tender and sore in the meantime before their appointment with our pediatric dentist.

Other Reasons for a Toothache

There are some different reasons for a toothache other than decay. We can perform an exam and figure out what’s causing the toothache pain.

Grinding

Your child or teen may be experiencing bruxism, which is grinding of the teeth. They may do this while they are awake or during the night time when they are sleeping. Excessive grinding can wear down the enamel of the tooth and may cause tooth, jaw, or gum pain. It may be a good idea for older children with permanent teeth to wear a night guard while sleeping. Younger children typically don’t need to wear a night guard and usually don’t suffer any long-term problems with their teeth.

Gum Irritation

When gums are irritated or inflamed in certain parts of the mouth, it can cause increased pain and toothache sensitivity. If your child isn’t brushing and flossing twice a day, they may have gum irritation or bleeding when brushing. You may need to supervise their brushing habits, or help them brush more thoroughly until they get the hang of it themselves.

Broken Tooth

If the tooth is fractured or broken, it will cause some toothache pain. Your child will usually have this type of injury when they play sports. It’s helpful to make sure your child wears a mouthguard when participating in contact sports. A tiny fracture in the tooth may not cause pain right away. But it can lead to future problems where tooth decay might occur in the compromised tooth.

Tooth Abscess

An abscess is where there is a pocket of puss near the gum line that has formed a type of pimple or boil. This can feel irritated and sensitive due to the inflammation around the gum as a sign of infection that needs to be treated right away.

Contact Us

If your child or teen is having problems with toothache pain, don’t wait to come see us at Ponte Vedra Pediatric Dentistry. Schedule an appointment with us today, so that your child will have a happy and pain-free smile once again.