Does Your Child Have The Signs Of Gum Disease? What To Do

Does your child refuse to brush and floss their teeth, and you can see that there gums are discolored? If so, your child could already be suffering from gum disease. If you can see that they already have areas of the gum that have deteriorated away from the tooth, you may want to improve their oral health and their cosmetic appearance.

You want to get your child's oral health turned around quickly so that they can preserve their teeth and gums for a lifetime. Here are a few things you'll want consider asking the dentist about when you go in to have your child examined.

Deep Tissue Cleaning

The child will need to have a deep tissue cleaning to get the bacteria from the deepest tissues around the teeth. This can be very painful and uncomfortable, so the tissue will have to be numbed with anesthetic. If the gums are severely infected, the child may need to see a periodontist to treat the problem and get the cleaning. They may need multiple cleanings to get rid of all the bacteria and tissue damage.

Teeth Sealing

The bacteria from the gum disease is most likely eroding and damaging your child's teeth.  This causes enamel damage and cavities. Have your child's teeth sealed with a protectant to stop any further damage from occurring while you treat the gum disease, and to prevent them from rotting before it's time for them to fall out if they are baby teeth. As soon as the adult teeth come in you want those teeth sealed as well.

Fluoride Treatments

While at the dentist you should expect your child to get a fluoride treatment. This is going to help strengthen the tooth enamel to protect the teeth from cavities. You may also want to ask the dentist which toothpastes and rinses have the most fluoride so your child can get the fluoride that they need at home.

Periodontal disease can lead to a number of other health conditions, like heart disease, diabetes and more. You don't want your child to have the early onset of these different conditions, and a lifetime of oral health problems because they didn't get the proper care needed as child. Helping your child focus on taking care of their teeth properly is going to be a key component to improving their oral health, and maintain the work that you have done at the dentist. Discuss these issues and more with a local pediatric dentist, like those at Dentistry For Children and similar offices.