Are Toothaches Really Preventable?

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Your child’s oral health isn’t predictable, and as their teeth and oral structures grow, there may be one or more conditions that arise and need correction. However, some common conditions, such as chronic toothaches and the issues that often cause them, can usually be prevented. When successful, preventing things like toothaches and other concerns can help save your child from a world of discomfort, and from the need for more extensive dental treatment if the cause of the toothache grows worse.

Learn what usually causes them

Toothaches aren’t an underlying oral health condition, like the decaying of your tooth structure or the erosion of your gum tissues. On the contrary, toothaches and sensitivity are symptoms, and they can indicate a number of different concerns with your child’s teeth and oral health. For example, if your child’s tooth enamel grows weak, then one or more teeth will grow increasingly more sensitive. If they develop a cavity, the sensitivity will be more like chronic pain as the decay erodes the tooth’s structure. Other concerns, such as structural tooth damage or excessive wear, can also make your child’s teeth more sensitive, as well as more likely to experience more severe dental problems later.

Protecting your child’s teeth

While children’s teeth can become sensitive for several different reasons, the good news is that many of those underlying conditions are preventable. For instance, sticking to good hygiene practices every day will help limit the buildup of plaque that can make your child’s tooth enamel weaker, and their teeth more sensitive. To boost their chances of avoiding a toothache, you can also try:

  • Reminding your child to brush gently – Brushing teeth consistently keeps them clean, but if your child is heavy handed, they may end up stripping their teeth of protective enamel. Be sure to remind your child to brush gently, but thoroughly, and keep an eye on their efforts by brushing your teeth consistently alongside them.
  • Making sugar a rare treat – Threats that weaken your child’s teeth can be complex. For example, oral bacteria are a major threat, but usually because of the acids some of them produce after metabolizing sugar. Help your child control bacterial acid production and resulting weak tooth enamel by substantially limiting sugary foods and beverages.

Help your child prevent chronic toothaches

Toothaches can warn of serious oral health trouble, but in many cases, you can help your child avoid them with these few tips. 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.

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