When a child complains about an aching tooth, does this mean a cavity? And if so, does a cavity in a baby tooth really need treatment, since they fall out eventually? In today’s blog, your El Paso, TX, dentists will explain why even baby teeth need treatment to help protect kids from major complications, such as painful dental infections!
Cavities in Little Smiles
When children eat lots of sugar, and when they fail to properly clean their teeth each day, this allows bacteria an opportunity to break down the stray food particles caught between the teeth. As they consume these bits of food, this coats the teeth in plaque buildup and over time, weakens and erodes tooth enamel. The inner portions become exposed to bacteria and this allows a cavity to form. The danger of tooth decay is that the cavity continues to grow and spread through the tooth, leading to worsening pain, and eventually, an infection.
Don’t Let an Infection Occur
When the cavity eventually reaches the inner pulp, your tooth’s nerve center, an infection could develop that causes the aches and sensitivity to grow more severe, and could lead to a tooth falling out. If a baby tooth develops aches and sensitivity, please let us know, don’t wait for them to fall out. The tooth could fall out naturally months or even years following the cavity, which could mean your child suffers serious discomfort, and premature loss of a baby tooth is a major factor in the onset of dental misalignment. Instead, we can treat cavities to help prevent painful infections and ensure the tooth falls out on schedule, protecting overall alignment in the process.
The Minimal Restoration Process
If your child has an aching tooth, let us know. In addition, be sure to attend six-month checkup and cleaning visits so we can monitor the smile for the earliest possible warning signs. We will remove the decay from the tooth and then thoroughly clean it. Next, we prepare the filling material, metal-free composite resin that can be shaded to match the color of your surrounding tooth structure. We then shade and tooth and cure the material, repairing the problem in just one visit. If you have any questions about minimal restorations, or about helping your little ones avoid the onset of tooth decay, then contact our team today.
TALK TO SUNNY SMILES IN EL PASO, TX ABOUT CHILDREN’S DENTAL CARE
At Sunny Smiles in El Paso, TX, we want to help kids in our community enjoy healthy and strong smiles with preventive and restorative treatments. To learn more about our treatment options for kids of all ages, then contact your El Paso, TX, dentists at Sunny Smiles on Dyer Street by calling 915-859-7000.