Summer vacation is a time for family fun and adventure, but one toothache can bring the whole party crashing down. Knowing how to handle your child’s dental emergency while on vacation can save their smile and ensure that all your planning isn’t thrown out the window. Read on to find a guide to managing the most common dental emergencies during all your summer travels.
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Sometimes kids can’t help but need “grown up” things a little earlier than expected. Kids with larger feet might need to ditch the kid’s department and start wearing adult-sized shoes while they’re still in elementary school, or they might even have graduated off the kid’s menu if they have the appetite for an adult-sized entrée. But one thing that your child hopefully will not need ahead of schedule is to lose a baby tooth. Thankfully, a tooth infection doesn’t automatically mean a pulled tooth. A procedure called a pulpectomy can help preserve an infected baby tooth without needing tooth removal.
A pulpectomy is a procedure that is performed to clear out infected tooth pulp from an otherwise healthy tooth. Pulp is a soft material located inside of both adult and baby teeth and is home to its blood supply and nerve endings. Pulp is how your teeth sense hot and cold. It also circulates blood, and even generates dentin which helps keep the tooth strong, but if the pulp becomes infected, it will need to be removed before the entire tooth becomes compromised.
First, the pediatric dentist will numb your child’s tooth, so they do not feel any discomfort during the procedure. The dentist will then place a rubber dental dam in their mouth to keep the tooth free of saliva and bacteria and then drain the infected pulp from the tooth.
Next, the tooth will be disinfected, and re-filled with a medicated replacement material and therapeutic dressing. Finally, the dental dam is removed, and your child is free to return home. Any pain from the tooth infection should be gone, although it is common to experience a little sensitivity for a few days after the procedure.
If your child’s baby tooth becomes infected, you may be wondering why the dentist doesn’t just remove it. After all, it’s only a baby tooth, and a new tooth will grow in its place, right? While it’s true that baby teeth will eventually fall out to create space for adult teeth, it is important for kids to keep their baby teeth until their permanent teeth are ready to erupt. Not only do baby teeth help your child chew and speak properly, if you remove them too early, they can cause misalignment, crowding, or malocclusion when the adult teeth finally do appear.
If your child needs a pulpectomy, there’s no need to be afraid. This procedure is quite common, and it will provide plenty of pain relief, all the while protecting both the infected tooth and surrounding healthy teeth. With this treatment, your child’s mouth doesn’t have to grow up too quickly.
Board Certified pediatric dentist Dr. Meghan Thorburn loves helping children smile. Whether it’s performing a routine exam or a restorative procedure like a pulpectomy, Dr. Thorburn is living proof that there’s no reason to be afraid of the dentist!
To make an appointment for your child with Trinity Pediatric Dentistry, please visit our website, or call us at 682-688-3636.
If you’re the parent or guardian of an infant, you know that a huge part of your role is keeping them safe, happy, and whole. Were you aware, however, that their overall well-being can be impacted by their dental condition even before their teeth show up? It’s important to keep their mouths clean even before that happens for them to be able to grow healthy teeth. If you’re not sure what’s involved in proper preventative dental care for smaller kids, keep reading to learn more about it!
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Discovering that your child has a lip or tongue-tie can be concerning, especially when it affects their ability to feed and thrive. Lip and tongue-ties are common conditions in infants, but the question remains: will they resolve on their own? Let’s delve into this topic and explore the importance of early intervention for these issues.
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If your child is particularly anxious about visiting the dentist, you might feel tempted to skip their appointments. Unfortunately, this can have a detrimental impact on their oral well-being. It’s important that kids have their first dental visit by the time they’re one year old, and then every 6 months after that. This allows their pediatric dentist to monitor their teeth to ensure they don’t develop any issues in their still-developing mouths.
Many dentists offer sedation options as a result, but is this safe for your little one? Keep reading to learn more about it!
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A child’s baby teeth represent an important step in the development of their oral and overall health, so many parents fret over when they might emerge and fall out. While children can be expected to have their baby teeth come in and fall out at some point, the timetable involved is different for every child. Here’s what you should know about when baby teeth emerge and depart as well as some tips for keeping your child’s baby teeth healthy.
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Watching your baby grow up can be an exciting time, especially as they begin to experience new things. One of the most pivotal moments in the transition from baby food to solids. Which ones will they like? How much should they receive? How small do I need to cut up the pieces so they don’t choke? These questions are completely normal, but some parents may wonder if their child’s lip or tongue-tie will interfere with this new meal plan. Keep reading to learn how a frenectomy can ease the struggle and allow your little one to try all kinds of new and exciting foods.
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As parents, we’re responsible for tending to the emotional and physical needs of our little ones, including their oral health. For those who have children with special needs, that can be particularly demanding. Whether they have difficulties with motor skills, communication issues, or sensory challenges, many kids have a hard time keeping their teeth in good condition. Tooth decay and gum disease are associated with other health risks like heart conditions or even oral cancer, so it’s important to try. If you and your child are struggling with dental hygiene, continue reading for 3 tips that you might find beneficial.
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Your smile is one of the first things that people will notice about you—and the same goes for your child’s smile! That said, you should do everything you can to ensure that your little one is set up for a lifetime of excellent oral health, but you might not know how to prepare or what to expect upon arriving for this crucial first dental visit. We’re more than happy to help you start on the right foot here at Trinity Pediatric Dentistry! Here’s more about what you can expect during your child’s first visit and some tips for ensuring it goes well.
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