Child With a Toothache? What You Need to Do Now

As your kids go through each day, most are sure to let you know any time anything is hurting them. If you have a kid who's been complaining about dental pain, it's time to get to the dentist. Here, you'll find a short list of things that you need to do immediately afterward.

Schedule a Dentist Appointment                 

What you need to do right now is to pick up your phone and schedule a dentist appointment. If there is a cavity that needs treated, the sooner you get to the dentist, the better. If you allow the tooth to continue to decay, the pain will only worsen and eventually, the tooth could either need to be extracted or a crown will need to be used to cover it once the cavity is removed.

When scheduling the appointment, make sure to let them know that your child is in pain. This will jump you towards the top of the line so you won't have to wait weeks to get your child in to be seen.

Take a Look

Get a flashlight and take a good look in your child's mouth. If this pain just started, it could be caused by something as simple as something being stuck between two teeth. Get the floss and floss between each tooth, paying special attention to the area where the pain is coming from.

Examine the gums around that tooth. Do they look puffy and red? If so, there's likely an infection in the gums that will need to be treated.

Look in way back — are there new molars popping through? Molar growth can cause the rest of the teeth to push against each other. This can cause an overall pain in the mouth — just pressure, but pressure can be painful for a little one.

Temporary Relief

The fastest way to provide temporary relief for dental pain in kids is to give him or her a dose of Tylenol or Ibuprofen and apply Orajel ointment to it. When putting the Orajel ointment on the tooth, first apply it to a cotton swab. Then place the swab on the gums directly where the tooth hurts. Keep it in place for a minute or so for the gel to soak into the gums.

Don't delay — the pain won't stop until the cause is found. Hopefully, the temporary relief will help get your child through until you make it to the dentist. Make sure to go to a family dentistry clinic that understands children's tooth care.