Your child’s first visit to their pediatric dentist should happen by their first birthday to ensure the health of their baby teeth and eventually their permanent teeth. If a toddler develops a cavity in a baby tooth, you may think it is not necessary to fix it but that couldn't be further from
the truth! Tooth decay is a disease and it spreads very easily from tooth to tooth, including from baby teeth to permanent teeth. Left untreated, a cavity can eat through a baby tooth and make its way into the jaw to the permanent teeth that have not yet erupted. Primary teeth are very important to a child's development. They help them learn how to speak and eat properly as well as provide a guide for their adult teeth to follow
when they begin to push through. Leaving a cavity and a baby tooth untreated can result in more severe problems as a result of lack of treatment. Baby teeth are thinner than adult teeth and require more attention during oral hygiene. A small cavity can quickly progress into a very large cavity and can even require root canal treatment and dental crowns. Untreated, an infection can develop causing pain and swelling. If a baby tooth is so infected that it falls out or has to be extracted, it
can actually lead to orthodontic problems in the future, causing your child to need extensive orthodontic treatment. Speech Baby teeth are an important part of your child's development with speech patterns. Untreated cavities can lead to problems with speech development, possibly causing speech impediments that can have a lasting effect on their self-confidence. NutritionHow can cavities in baby teeth affect adult teeth?
Further Problems Resulting From Untreated Cavities
Untreated cavities in baby teeth can cause eating to be painful and uncomfortable. Your child may begin to avoid eating and this can affect their overall nutrition. A lot of healthy foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables can require a lot of chewing which can be difficult if your child has pain in their mouth.
Affecting Other Teeth
Tooth decay spreads very easily and can negatively affect surrounding healthy teeth. Severe decay can even spread to unerupted permanent teeth.
Self Confidence
Children with discolored or missing teeth can have trouble with a poor self image if they feel their smile is not white and healthy and they may begin to avoid showing their teeth when they smile.
How do I know if my child has a cavity and how is it fixed?
There are a few signs to look for that can help you know if your child is suffering from dental decay which may include:
- Sensitivity
- Visible holes or pits
- Discoloration
- Pain when they eat
Your child’s Pediatric Dentist will be able to spot any cavity formation and treat it to prevent it from growing and spreading. Treatments that their Dentist may advise include:
- Remineralization: This is a process that allows the tooth to repair itself and can happen if the cavity is small. Their Dentist will discuss this as an option if they believe that it is possible with minor changes in their oral care routine and diet.
- Fillings: A composite filling is the most common restorative option for minor tooth decay. Their Dentist will drill out the decay and fill the space with a tooth-colored composite material that is hardened and will strengthen the tooth.
- Crowns: If the decay is too extensive to be repaired with a filling, your child may require a crown to protect the integrity of the tooth. The decay is still drilled out but additionally, a small amount of enamel is removed to allow space for the crown.
If none of these are a viable option, your child's dentist may advise a root canal or even an extraction. If a cavity becomes so large that it reaches the nerve of the tooth, it can be very painful for your child.
Even though your child's primary teeth will eventually fall out, it is important to care for them just as you were their permanent teeth. Baby teeth play a vital role in their development and well-being so it is crucial to brush and floss their teeth and maintain regular dental check ups with their pediatric dentist as soon as their first tooth appears. This will instill a lifetime of healthy habits!
Is is Normal for Children & Baby Teeth to have Cavities?
One of the most important reasons why prevention is such a heavy focus of your child’s dental health care is because, once a problem like tooth decay develops, it’s impact must be addressed immediately. The longer it takes, the more
advanced the decay or other concern can become, and the treatment needed to address could be more extensive than expected. In the case of treating children’s teeth that are affected by decay, prevention and prompt treatment are especially important. Today, we examine why, and what your options may be if your child’s tooth becomes severely decayed and needs saving. Tooth decay is most commonly recognized for the cavities that they cause to form in natural tooth structure. The process begins when your child’s tooth enamel grows too weak under attacks from oral bacteria and acids from their food and beverages. Enough of this and your child’s tooth
structure will be exposed to harmful oral bacteria and infection, or decay, that leads to a cavity forming. When this infection becomes severe, it means that your child’s tooth has become decayed within its inner chamber, called the pulp, and the root canal that’s connected to it. When the state of
your child’s tooth decay is severe, the common method of treating cavities with minimal, tooth-colored fillings won’t suffice for your child’s tooth. For severely decayed adult teeth, the preferable solution may be root canal treatment, which involves removing the infected tissues from within the pulp and
root canal, then filling and sealing them. However, with children’s teeth, particularly primary ones, full root canal treatment may be more extensive than your child’s dentist prefers. Instead, we may suggest performing pulpotomy on the tooth, which is a more conservative version of treating the infected inner structures of your child’s tooth. The point of
pulpotomy for a severely infected child’s tooth is to remove the extent of the infection while preserving as much of the healthy, natural tooth structure as possible. Whenever possible, it’s preferable to restore and protect natural tooth structure and avoid having to replace it. Yet, some
cases of extreme tooth decay might not be treatable even with personalized pulpotomy. To help your child avoid other, more severe oral health concerns, the tooth may need to be extracted. When tooth decay becomes too severe for a tooth filling, saving your child’s tooth and oral health could require more involved treatment, such as pulpotomy. To learn more, schedule an appointment by calling Pediatric Dental Care at Casa Linda in Dallas, TX today at 214-321-4880. We proudly serve patients who live around Casa Linda and all surrounding Dallas communities.The state
of a severely decayed tooth
When your child needs more than a filling
In extreme cases of tooth decay
Learn about treating your child’s severe tooth decay