Toothaches in Children 2-5 Years

While your child may tell you they have a toothache, they could be experiencing teething pain instead. If that’s the case, your child may also have some of the following symptoms:

• Excessive drooling
• Irritability - for no apparent reason such as fever, hunger, tiredness or injury
• Difficulty sleeping or going to sleep at night
• Refusing to eat
• Gnawing at hard objects
• Flushed cheeks
• Red, swollen gums around the site of the new tooth
• Minimal bleeding — but check with your doctor to rule out infection
• Ear rubbing — on the same side where a tooth is trying to come in.[from http://www.babycenter.ca/baby/ref/teethingdistress/]
• Eruption cysts or eruption haematoma – a blue or clear swelling may appear at the site where a new tooth is trying to erupt through the gums which will heal as the tooth surfaces.

Cavities (also known as tooth or dental decay) originally start when bacteria build up in the mouth. When this happens, plaque (a thick, sticky film) forms around the teeth and gums. Plaque contains bacteria that convert sugars in foods and drinks to acids that eat away at the tooth’s protective enamel layer. Once the enamel is eroded, the tooth’s inner pulp and nerves are exposed. Since these are quite sensitive, any irritation can cause extreme and sudden pain.

If your child is between that ages of 1 and 4, giving them sugary juices in bottles(especially at bedtime and while they’re sleeping) can cause tooth decay and cavities. It’s probably best to break that routine.

If your child is four years old or older and sucks their thumb, then it may be time to curb their habit. While thumb sucking doesn’t cause toothaches directly, it can interfere with the eruption of your child’s adult or permanent teeth and change the shape of your child’s growing jaw bone.

While putting an end to your child’s thumb-sucking habit can be frustrating and tricky, try one of these tips:

• Use a rewards system by granting a star for every thumb-sucking-free day with a reward they’ll love at the end of day 10
• Spread crushed garlic on your child’s thumb for a few days — unless, of course, they love the taste of garlic

If your child’s toothache is caused by a cavity, they will likely have one or more of these symptoms:

• Tooth sensitivity to hot or cold foods
• Tooth sensitivity to cold air
• Dark spots on the decaying tooth
• Bad breath
• A tooth that is painful when touched

To make your child’s first visit to the dentist’s office a little less scary, try the following:

• Find a dentist in your area who enjoys working with children — friends and neighbours are always good for referrals
• Read an age-appropriate book about visiting the dentist to them
• Bring your child to a friend’s or older sibling’s appointment so that they can meet their dentist and see what happens during a visit
• Answer their questions honestly but don’t give them more information than they can handle
• Schedule morning appointments when your child is more likely to be well rested after a good night’s sleep

Thrush is the least common cause of toothaches in children and is caused by an overgrowth of Candida (a fungus) in the mouth. Symptoms include:

• White patches or blisters on your child’s tongue, lips, cheeks, throat and gums
• If these white patches are scraped off, an underlying mucous membrane is exposed and is slightly inflamed and mildly sensitive

You should make an appointment with your child’s doctor if your child is experiencing a toothache as a result of a thrush. Thrush is easily treated with a topical anti-fungal medication.