What Are Your Kid’s Teeth Telling You?
A Comprehensive Look at Your Kid’s Mouth and the Dangers that Could Lurk Within
By Nora Heston Tarte
According to a survey from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in 2012, only 82 percent of children, ages 2-17, saw a dentist in the past year and less than 62 percent of adults, ages 18-64, saw a dentist in the same time period. This leaves a substantial number of adults and children on their own when it comes to dental care. Without proper education, it can be difficult to diagnose potentially serious problems, and because teeth and gums are linked to nutrition and growth, proper dental care is a necessity for overall health and wellness, especially in kids.
As an adult, it is your responsibility to teach good dental hygiene habits to your kids and to help them maintain a healthy mouth. It is important to understand what your child’s mouth might be telling you, as well as to know when signs and symptoms could suggest crisis.
From lightly pigmented to bleeding gums, danger can range from non-existent to imminent.
“Early intervention is best before a complaint,” says Dr. Scott Adams, D.D.S., a dentist at Village Dental Care. “Pain usually is an indicator of a cavity. Look for dark spots on the teeth and/or bleeding gums.”
Trauma, such as brushing too hard, can trigger gums to bleed as well as recede. However, receding gums can also signal periodontal disease, a chronic inflammatory disease that affects gum tissue and bones supporting the teeth.
Some individuals may also notice light pigmentation in their gums, which could indicate nothing more than a genetic pigmentation variation, however, pigmented lesions warrant a trip to the dentist because a more severe underlying issue could be their cause.
While any of these issues may be cause for worry, Dr. Adams suggests patients pay close attention to pain and discomfort as well as tooth sensitivity, specifically teeth that are sensitive to chewing, cold or hot temperature liquids.
People should also be wary if changes are seen from prior healthy gums and teeth. This change, such as swelling in the gums, loose teeth or obvious cavities, could indicate a more severe dental problem.
Adopting a healthy dental routine for your child could help stave off potential complications. “Dental floss is the most important thing you can do for your dental health,” says Dr. Scott Thompson D.D.S., Chief Dental Officer, Kids Care Dental. “Good tooth brushing with fluoride toothpaste is also important.”
Perhaps most importantly, take your child to the dentist. The Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends a child have their first check up by age one. If finding a local practitioner is taking too much time, searching online might help you. For example, if you are from the city of Philadelphia, you could search for dentist in Philadelphia online and book appointments related to any kind of dentistry treatments for your family.
Furthermore, “If one waits for the typical signs of dental disease, such as pain or bleeding, then it is too late to prevent the problem. One should visit a dentist regularly starting very young before the disease takes hold,” Dr. Thompson says. “A regular check up with your dentist allows problems to be identified when they are small or even preventable.”
For More Information:
Kids Care Dental
Multiple Central Valley Offices
(209) 957-4386
kidscaredental.com
Village Dental Care
1710 E. March Ln., #2B, Stockton
(209) 474-1000
villagedentalcarestockton.com
Salida Surgery Center
5712 Pirrone Rd., Salida
(209) 543-9299
salidasurgerycenter.com