When your child complains of persistent tooth pain, it is important to have a dentist examine his teeth. Untreated tooth decay will only get worse, and tooth infections can spread and become dangerous. While you wait for your child’s dental appointment, you can take steps at home to make him feel better.
Symptoms
Your child may experience constant pain when he has a toothache, or the tooth might just hurt when he chews. Hot and cold foods and beverages can increase the pain, and the tooth may hurt when it is touched, according to Children’s Hospital Boston. In some cases, the jaw may be sore or swollen. If your child’s toothache is caused by an infection, he may develop a fever. Young children may seem fussy and uncomfortable.
Cause
The main cause of toothaches is tooth decay, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. If your child develops a cavity, the affected tooth can become painful. Toothaches can also develop when a decayed tooth becomes infected. Other possible causes of toothaches are injuries or food that is wedged between the teeth, according to the AAP.
Treatment
Check your child’s tooth to make sure there is no food wedged around it, and remove any food that you find with floss, recommends the AAP. If trapped food is not the cause of your child’s pain, you can temporarily ease his pain with over-the-counter children’s pain medications and a cold pack placed on his jaw, according to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. If your child’s toothache is caused by tooth decay, the dentist may fill, extract or perform a root canal on the tooth. Your child will likely be prescribed antibiotics if an infection is present.
Prevention
Proper oral hygiene is the best way to prevent tooth decay and toothaches. Brush your child’s teeth twice a day, or have older children do the job themselves, and floss once a day. Use fluoride toothpaste as soon as your child is old enough to spit the toothpaste out. Limit the amount of sweet, sticky foods your child gets between meals, recommends the American Academy of Family Physicians, and schedule dental appointments twice a year so teeth can be cleaned and examined.
Warning
It is possible for an infection that begins in a tooth to spread and become life-threatening. Have your child examined by a dentist any time he has a toothache that lasts longer than 24 hours, and contact a doctor or dentist immediately if he has a fever, swollen face or severe pain, warns the AAP.
