If you are among such worried parents whose kids suffer from those painful and troublesome toothaches, you are in the right place. Someone rightly said that children have a sweet tooth. They are inherently fond of sweets. Though parents try to limit their kids eating sweets, parental instincts interfere and finally, children end up having tooth problems. In this article, we shall have a look at 7 Toothache Remedies for Children from a Dentist.
Before that, we shall look into the causes of tooth pain.
What causes Toothache?
Following are the most common reasons for a toothache in kids:
- New Teeth: This is especially true when it comes to children who are less than about ten years old. As they lose their baby teeth, new teeth may cause pressure on the nerves while growing.
- Dental Decay: Too many sweets and poor oral hygiene result in cavities which may lead to dental decay. This may often cause pain.
- Sinus Problems: If your kid has sinus issues, there is a high possibility that it is the culprit of his/her toothache.
- Poor Oral Hygiene: This deserves a special mention. Wrong brushing techniques and/or brushing too aggressively hurting the gums causes toothaches and swelling.
- Diet: Vitamin deficiency (like Vitamins C for gums and Vitamin D for teeth) causes dental and oral problems. Also, very acidic or sweet food also causes toothaches.
7 Remedies for A Toothache in Children
Following are the remedies for a toothache in children, which help to ease their pain.
1. Cold Compress
Wrap some ice cubes in a cloth and gently hold it against the cheek of your child where it hurts. It numbs the area for a while, thus giving a temporary pain relief. Remember that this is not the cure, but can only relieve pain till a dentist could see the child.
2. Anti-inflammatory medicine
Anti-inflammatory medicine helps to reduce the swelling, thus reducing the pain. Just make sure that the medicine is age-appropriate and is prescribed by your dentist. (You can ask your dentist to prescribe one, just in case).
3. Clove Oil
Clove Oil acts as a topical analgesic and also has antibacterial properties. Apply the oil to the affected area using a cotton swab. You also may give the over the counter medication which has clove as an active ingredient.
4. Warm Salt Water
If your child is old enough to rinse her mouth and spit, give her a glass of warm salt water to rinse her mouth. The gentle warmth of the water helps to soothe the nerves and the salt acts as an antibacterial agent.
Also Read: 9 Timely Actions That Will Help Manage Toothache in Children
5. Garlic
Garlic acts as a natural antibiotic. Smash a few cloves of garlic, let it settle for a while and apply it in the affected area. Ask your child to rinse her mouth with warm water. If your child is too young, he/she may not like it as garlic is too spicy.
6. Hydrogen Peroxide
Use a small amount of hydrogen peroxide with water and rinse it like in a mouthwash. Just make sure your child does not swallow it as it can cause few digestive problems.
7. Peppermint
Take a few peppermint leaves and place them directly against the tooth or use a peppermint tea bag instead. You can also use peppermint essential oil by applying it with a cotton swab.
These were the remedies that you can use to give your child immediate relief from a toothache. But make sure you visit your dentist as soon as possible. Your child’s toothache is not an emergency unless there is a swelling accompanied by pain. Your dentist may use nitrous oxide nasal hoods to perform further dental procedures.
There are, however, a few precautions that you can take so that your child has less frequent toothaches.
1. Proper and routine brushing
Inculcate the habit of regular oral hygiene in your child so that plaque doesn’t build up in your child’s mouth. This helps reduce dental problems to a large extent. (NCBI)
2. Proper diet
There are two important points to consider under this. First, avoiding sweet food as far as possible and rinsing the mouth with water or mouthwash after eating sweets. Second, having a balanced diet. A child’s (even an adult’s) food should contain all the necessary nutrients so that it nourishes the body very well. Include leafy greens and cheese and/or other dairy products like various kind of cheese. Inculcate recipes containing cheese to ensure that your child gets all the nutrients required for healthy growth and healthy teeth. This helps prevent tooth damage in the future.
Also Read: Eating with braces: A simple guide to surviving the first few weeks of braces
