Almost every parent can relate to this—it’s been a busy day, and you’re looking forward to bedtime. You wish for a long uninterrupted sleep; then your child starts complaining of pain inside the mouth. At this moment, you’re likely to get confused. You don’t know the reason for the pain, the doctors have closed, and you’re sleepy.
There are lots of things that could be going on in a child’s mouth. For instance, a child could be having sores or mouth ulcers, such as canker sores. They are lesions commonly found inside the mouth of children and teens. It could be one of the reasons for a child’s pain and discomfort, so it’s essential to be knowledgeable about them. If you want an easy to read article about canker sores, click this link.
Aside from that, the following are other things to check out for in your child’s mouth:
1. Tooth Abscess
An abscessed tooth is a tooth that has pus around it, formed due to bacterial infection. Tooth abscess looks like a pimple or a swelling on the gum near the affected tooth. This condition can be painful, especially when the child is chewing. A child with a tooth abscess can experience bad taste and fever.
Various reasons can lead to an abscessed tooth, including gum disease and untreated tooth decay. An abscessed tooth requires a dental professional’s help immediately. Therefore, you should check your child’s mouth from time to time to identify such problems in time.
2. Tooth Decay
Tooth decay is common in children as with adults. Tooth decay can be visible or invisible. A decay that forms in between the child’s teeth can be significant, especially before the tooth caves in. In some cases, a child can experience severe pain due to food particles being trapped between the teeth. In such cases, you can reduce the pain by removing trapped food from the cavity.
Tooth decay can get worse if left untreated. As soon as you realize that your child has a cavity or is experiencing pain in their teeth, seek professional dental advice.
3. Oral Herpes
Oral herpes or cold sore are blisters that form around the mouth or nose. Herpes is caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV). A person with HSV can infect other people when they come into contact. This virus can be spread through saliva. Therefore, it’s advisable to avoid mouth contact or sharing a spoon with your child to prevent spreading the virus.
Most people don’t show symptoms during their first infection but can still pass on the virus. Ensure that you separate your child’s utensil from everyone else’s to avoid spreading the virus.
4. Mouth Ulcers
A child with mouth ulcers has sores inside the mouth. There are different types of mouth ulcers, including:
- Traumatic ulcers: This is a common type of mouth ulcer caused by an injury in the mouth, such as biting your cheek.
- Aphthous ulcers: This is a painful type of mouth ulcer that comes back from time to time. It might be several sores in tiny sizes.
As with adults, children too can have mouth ulcers. Mouth ulcers can heal on their own within one to two weeks. However, if the ulcer doesn’t go away on its own, ensure you seek medical help as soon as possible.
5. New Teeth
New teeth are another thing to check for in your child’s mouth. When a new tooth is coming out, it’s common for most children to experience pain. A tooth coming through can be covered by a flap of gum that makes it difficult to clean. If bacteria or food particles get under the flap, it might cause inflammation leading to severe pain.
However, the pain is likely to disappear after removing the food particles and doesn’t recur after the tooth is fully through. Before panicking about the pain in your child’s mouth, check first whether the pain is due to a new tooth. If you’re not sure about the cause of the pain, take your child to the doctor.
6. Oral Thrush
Oral thrush is a type of fungal infection that attacks the soft tissue in the mouth. Oral thrush is very common in children. This condition appears as milky white patches in the mouth. It’s also common for your child to have an infection around the nappy area at the same time. Ensure that you’re watchful of your child’s mouth to discover such conditions as they start to appear.
Conclusion
Complications in your child’s mouth could be an inevitable occurrence. From new teeth to decay to infections, the list is endless. Some of these conditions can cause severe pain in your child’s mouth if left untreated. They may even find difficulty in eating or chewing food, affecting their food consumption. Thus, to avoid such cases, it’s important to ensure you check their mouth regularly.
