Parents can face numerous challenges regarding their children’s oral health. The concept of brushing and flossing can be a hard habit to enforce, but once they learn those lessons, they can experience the fantastic benefits that come with a clean, healthy smile. But in some cases, it doesn’t always work – some children as young as infancy can have cavities, and it’s essential to notice the early warning signs to ensure that your child doesn’t face the troubles that come with tooth decay. Luckily, we’re here to provide you with an essential checklist on what to look out for and how to care for their teeth during their early years.
Checklist of Early Tooth Decay: The Warning Signs
When most people think of tooth decay, they think of children eating too many sweets. However, tooth decay can have many causes, especially ones you’d least expect. For children, tooth decay can have genetic causes, where weakened enamel is part of their family history. In other cases, infants drinking their mother’s milk can experience tooth cavities due to the excessive amount of sugars present in their diet. Other cases may involve a lack of vitamins and minerals in their diet, such as fluoride, which can contribute to weakening enamel. Alongside that, mouth breathing and thumbsucking can inadvertently cause cavities due to the influx of bacteria from their hands and reduce saliva.
Nevertheless, it’s important to seek out a primary, family, or pediatric dentist when faced with the possibility of cavities. If you’re worried about your child’s oral health, then here’s a quick checklist of warning signs to look out for:
- White Spots Lesions: White spots appear along the enamel and gum line. They are the first indicators of tooth erosion caused by harmful bacteria. When looking for this sign, these white spot lesions appear matte white in comparison to normal enamel.
- Sensitivity to Hot & Cold: If you’re child’s complaining about their food being too hot or cold, then it’s time to see the dentist. Sensitivities to hot and cold temperatures are the earliest warning sign your child can give you for a cavity, especially if they say it hurts.
- Trouble Focusing at School: Toddlers can face issues with their school due to the distractions that oral pain causes, and if they haven’t told you already, it should be an early warning sign to see the dentist.
- Bad Breath: Bad breath should easily go away with brushing and flossing, but a constant bad breath from your child is an indicator of poor dental health due to heavy amounts of bacteria and poor saliva production.
- Tooth Discoloration: Tooth discoloration is the last symptom to look for signs of cavities. These discolorations appear as brown or black spots along the teeth, and this is the time when they need treatment the most.
Visit Your Local Dentist Today For Immediate Treatment!
All of the warning signs listed above are what parents should be looking out for with their child’s oral health. To keep your child’s smile healthy for life, schedule that appointment with their dentist as soon as possible for cavity treatment and keep their smile safe.
