Common Problems
Sugar and Tooth Decay
When plaque builds up on your child's gums and teeth, they may end up with tooth decay. This occurs when the bacteria found within plaque creates acids that destroy tooth enamel and form cavities, holes in the tooth. Tooth decay, when left untreated, can cause pain and discomfort, infection, and tooth loss.
Learn more about tooth decay, cavities, and treatment options at Treasured Smiles Pediatric Dentistry here.
Yellow and Discolored Teeth
We often hear from parents who are concerned about the "yellow color" of their children's teeth or of their own teeth. As permanent teeth begin to develop in a child's mouth, these adult teeth often have a natural color that appears more yellow next to baby teeth. When tooth development is complete, there are several options to help brighten smiles.
The teeth of adults sometimes change color and darken due to factors such as age, the frequent consumption of certain foods and beverages, tobacco use, medications, illnesses, and poor oral hygiene. Treasured Smiles Dentistry offers multiples options for restoring your natural white smile.
White Spots on Teeth
When a child starts losing baby teeth and developing adult teeth, the parent may notice white spots on the new teeth. Hypoplasia and hypocalcification are conditions that sometimes occur during the development of teeth and cause white spots on the teeth. In mild cases, these conditions just create blemishes on the teeth, most commonly the two front teeth or first permanent molars. In more severe cases, the affected teeth become vulnerable to decay, chips, and deterioration.
Two Sets of Teeth
Parents often become worried when they notice that their children's permanent teeth are coming in behind their baby teeth. This dental development is actually a normal growth process and not a cause for concern. A permanent tooth often develops behind a baby tooth when the baby tooth is loose and close to falling out. Sometimes, however, dental issues may arise from this type of tooth development and your dentist may need to intervene to help ensure that your child's beautiful smile develops properly.
Orthodontic Problems
The term "malocclusion" refers to mouth bites that does not meet properly because the teeth are not correctly aligned. Malocclusions can be hereditary or acquired through actions. Some common causes of this dental problem include injuries, misaligned jaws, crowded teeth, missing teeth, and behavioral issues, such as thumb-sucking.
Common Problems into Adulthood
Sensitive TeethYou get a feeling of tooth sensitivity when the soft surface beneath your gums that leads to the nerve center of each tooth, known as the pulp, becomes exposed. This sensitive area may become exposed if your gums recede, your tooth enamel wears, your teeth develop cracks, a filling loosens, or you have recently undergone a dental procedure. As a result, you may experience irritation when eating hot or cold foods, drinking hot or cold beverages, or simply breathing cold air.
Gum Disease
Gum, or periodontal, disease occurs when plaque hardens on the teeth and forms tartar, potentially resulting in inflammation, tooth loss, and bone damage. Gingivitis, the early stage of gum disease, causes the gums to swell, redden, and bleed easily. If gingivitis is left untreated, gum disease progresses to periodontitis, which may result in teeth falling out or needing to be removed by a dentist.
Bad Breath (Halitosis)
Halitosis is the medical term for bad breath. When you don't brush and floss daily, you may experience halitosis caused by food particles left in the mouth triggering bacterial growth. Temporary bad breath can occur after eating odorous foods, such as onions or anchovies. Consistent bad breath, however, may be a sign of a serious dental issue, such as gum disease.
Canker Sores
A canker sore is a small ulcer that appears inside of the mouth. Canker sores may be triggered by stress, injury, or certain foods, and typically last one to two weeks. Your Treasured Smiles dentist can diagnosis your canker sores, and provide prescriptions to alleviate the discomfort and speed up the healing time of your ulcers.
Cosmetic Dental Issues
Many people who have crooked teeth and gaps between their teeth feel self-conscious about their smiles. Treasured Smiles Pediatric Dentistry offers options for achieving the beautiful smile your child deserves.
Find out more at Treasured Smiles Pediatric Dentistry here.
Tooth Cracks and Chips
Biting down on hard foods, falling down, or getting hit in the face can result in a chipped or broken tooth. Fortunately, there are many different options that dentists have for repairing chipped and cracked teeth, depending on the level of damage and location.
Mercury Fillings
Metal dental amalgam fillings containing mercury were once a common method of treating tooth decay and cavities. These mercury fillings not only offer a dark, unattractive appearance, but also present potential health risks.
Loss of Natural Teeth and Missing Teeth
The loss of natural teeth and missing teeth can not only create an aesthetical issue, but also a functional problem. This can affect the look of your child's smile due to the location of the absent teeth and cause the remaining teeth to shift. Lost and missing teeth can also cause difficulty chewing, tooth decay, stress on the teeth, and an uneven bite. Luckily, there are multiples solutions for replacing anywhere from a single missing tooth to an entire mouth of teeth.
Learn more about missing teeth at Treasured Smiles Pediatric Dentistry here.
Congenital and Developmental Mouth Defects
Hyperdontia, hypodontia, cleft lip, and cleft palate are developmental and congenital mouth defects that are treated at Treasured Smiles Pediatric Dentistry. Hyperdontia refers to a condition where a patient has extra teeth, and hypodontia involves missing teeth. Cleft lips and palates are developmental abnormalities that occur when the lip and mouth areas are underdeveloped, resulting in a split in the lip area, mouth area, or roof of mouth.
Impacted Wisdom Teeth
Wisdom teeth, the last teeth to erupt, typically develop in the mouth between ages 17 and 25. When there is not enough room in the mouth for the wisdom teeth to emerge, they are considered impacted. This may eventually cause discomfort, pain, tooth damage, gum damage, tooth decay, and additional dental issues.
Teeth Grinding (Bruxism)
Many patients are unaware that they grind their teeth in their sleep, causing damage to their mouths and jaws. Bruxism, the medical term for teeth grinding, can cause pain and injury to your teeth and jaw, alter your bite alignment, and cause Temporomandibular disorders.
Head, Jaw, and Mouth Pain
Pain in the head, jaw, or mouth may be caused by a dental problem. If your child has been experiencing any of these issues, Treasured Smiles Pediatric Dentistry can help diagnosis the problem and provide a remedy:
- Pain when biting food
- Lingering pain after eating hot or cold foods
- Constant pain and pressure in mouth and jaw
- Swelling of gums and sensitivity to touch
- Aches and pressure in the upper teeth and jaw
- Constant pain in the head, neck, or ears