How to Spot Dental Issues in Children

Posted on October 10, 2023

Unfortunately, there are a good number of kids out there who have dental issues. One out of seven American teenagers has one or more untreated decayed teeth, according to Colgate. What should you be looking for so that you can bring them to a pediatric dentist? Here are some signs that you should keep your eyes open for.

Bad Breath

This in and of itself is not necessarily a sign. We can all have bad breath, including when we first wake up in the morning or if we have certain foods. You need to be on the lookout for your child having bad breath throughout the course of the day, even after brushing their teeth. That can indicate that there’s some kind of dental issue going on and that you need to bring them to a pediatric dentist as soon as possible.

Tooth Decay

Over the course of a day, bacteria can form on your child’s tooth and start wearing away at the enamel. That can lead to tooth decay and cavities. If you notice that there are things going on with their teeth that look like cavities could be forming, you need to bring them to a pediatric dentist as soon as possible.

Grinding

This is not an uncommon problem. Your child could be grinding their teeth for a variety of reasons. They could be stressed, their teeth could be misaligned, or they could be responding to pain in another body part. As a result, they could be setting their teeth to crack later on. Talk to your pediatric dentist about it. They can create a mouthguard that your child can wear at night to keep the upper and lower jaw from touching while they sleep.

These are just a few of the ways to spot dental issues in your child. They might also be sucking their thumb for too long; past the age of five. This can cause tooth alignment problems. Alternatively, they might not be losing some baby teeth, which can keep the adult teeth from coming in. This can cause decay issues. Your pediatric dentist can remove them to allow the natural progression to continue. Ultimately, though, make sure you bring your child in for regular appointments. That way, a lot of things can get caught early.

Are you looking for a pediatric dentist in your area? Contact us today to start working with our experienced pediatric dentist and orthodontist.