While most patients who receive root canal treatments are adults, this procedure can also be important for children. Even when they have baby teeth, our children are still susceptible to tooth infections, decay, and loss. Retaining our primary (baby) teeth is essential to the healthy development of our oral cavity and ensures sufficient room for our adult teeth. Come with us as we explore how root canal treatments can preserve the health of your child’s smile for a lifetime.
How To Determine If A Pediatric Root Canal Treatment Is Necessary
Dental infections can seriously impact our oral health, even as children. Damage to the bone and the adult teeth that have yet to erupt can have lasting consequences for our children’s oral health. Regardless of when a dental infection occurs, they’re often accompanied by significant, or even excruciating, pain. However, knowing these infections can also be present without symptoms is important. Learning how to spot if your child has a dental infection is, therefore, an important part of preserving their oral health.
- Sensitivity – It’s common for dental infections to cause our teeth to become more sensitive. Discomfort or pain may be felt when chewing, speaking, or eating cold or hot foods. Further, it’s possible for them to feel pain when breathing cold air as well. Thin enamel can be the culprit, but dental infection is more common.
- Swollen & Tender Gums – Dental infections often cause the gums to become tender and swollen. In some cases, these symptoms are subtle, but it’s possible for them to become quite noticeable. These symptoms can also extend to the gums as well.
- Foul Tastes – Abscess is the word for the pocket of pus formed when infections occur inside the gums. They often appear at the base of the dental root and can rupture. When they do, a foul-tasting fluid is released into the oral cavity. Many patients report smelling something unpleasant when this happens, as well as tasting it.
- Chronic Or Severe Pain – Tooth infections can be persistent and generally won’t go away without treatment. Further, they can spread into the sinuses, causing pain in the forehead, nose, and jaw. Over-the-counter medication can control these symptoms, but it won’t address the underlying infection.
- Swollen Lymph Nodes – Dental infections can also cause the lymph nodes in your neck, jaw, and mouth to become swollen and tender.
If your child is experiencing any of the above symptoms, it’s time to contact Kids World Pediatric for care. We can find the underlying cause of the symptoms, locate any present infections, and develop a treatment plan to get them back to good health. A root canal treatment is often necessary to save the tooth if the infection is advanced enough.
Contact Kids World Pediatric Dental Today To Learn More
When symptoms of a dental infection appear, you mustn’t wait to seek treatment. Dental infections can become severe and, if left untreated, become life-threatening if the infection passes into the bloodstream. Contact us at (210) 787-1200 to protect your child’s oral and overall health today!