Tips for Keeping Your Children’s Teeth Healthy

Posted on: 16 December 2014

When your little one's tooth won't come out on time, it can frustrate you and your child. But what happens if your child has more than one stubborn baby tooth dangling in his or her mouth? If the gum tissue around those teeth isn't infected or inflamed, your family dentist may recommend that you leave your child's baby teeth alone until they're ready to come on their own. If your child does experience infection and severe pain in his or her gums, your dentist will take steps to remove your child's baby teeth. Until the dentist does, here's what you make your child feel more comfortable at home.

Prevent Bacterial Infection and Pain with Floss

Unlike adult teeth, which have large compartments of pulp tissue inside them, baby teeth are empty or hollow inside. It leaves the nerves of baby teeth vulnerable to bacteria. When your child says that his or her loose baby teeth hurt, bacteria may be the culprits behind it.

Your child's mouth contains millions of microscopic germs or bacteria. Unless you don't help your child keep his or her mouth clean with good oral hygiene and a healthy diet, the bacteria won't harm your little one's baby teeth. However, if your child doesn't use good oral hygiene each day, or if he or she eats excessive sweets, the bacteria can turn into harmful plaque and wreak havoc on the pulp tissues of his or her loose baby teeth.

The bacteria can get inside your little one's loose baby teeth by entering the spaces between the gums and teeth roots. Once baby teeth get ready to fall out, the jawbones absorb their teeth roots. It becomes easy for bacteria to infect the nerves inside those loose teeth. By flossing around your child's loose teeth, you reduce the bacterial infection.

Before you attempt to floss your child's wobbly teeth, make sure that you use floss that features a wide thread. Thin thread can cut your child's gums, which opens the door for a gum infection. In addition, thin thread may actually "cut" loose the baby teeth from their sockets. You don't want this to happen because it hurts your little one's mouth. Wide floss may be too thick to cut your child's gums or teeth loose.

After you find the right floss, follow these helpful tips:

• Floss your child's teeth right after every meal to cut back on plaque and bacteria.
• Rinse your child's mouth with warm water to soothe his or her mouth after you floss his or her baby teeth. Flossing can irritate the tender gums surrounding your child's loose baby teeth.
• Use a soft-bristled toothbrush to remove any plaque that won't come off with the floss. The soft bristles may also massage the gums and decrease the pain and inflammation in them.

Keep Your Child Hydrated

Water hydrates your child's gums and keeps the tissue from becoming red and swollen. Water may also help the nerves and blood vessels of the jawbones stay healthy. Although they're hidden inside the gums and jawbones right now, your child's adult teeth can still decay from bacteria. Staying hydrated encourages the blood vessels and nerves to fight the bacteria. Additionally, water increases your child's saliva production, which washes away bacteria and plaque from the mouth.

Tips for You

You may find these tips below helpful as well:

• Wash your hands thoroughly and use the pad of one finger to gently massage your child's sore gums. It may help your little one sleep better at night.
• Avoid giving your child aspirin or any drug that contains aspirin. This drug ingredient may increase your child's risk for Reye's Syndrome. The syndrome creates excessive fevers, brain inflammation, and a host of other dangerous symptoms in children under the age of 18 who are sick or experiencing a health issue. 
• Call your dentist if your child's experiences convulsions, temperatures over 103 degrees Fahrenheit, or if your child's gums develop a white bump anywhere on the surfaces of the swollen gums. He or she may have an abscess around the loose teeth.

Keep these tips handy or in a safe place for any future problems you may have with your child.

If you have concerns about your child's mouth care before his or her dental appointment, contact your dentist for answers. Visit http://www.couchmandental.com to learn more.