In the Know for You to Know

Everything is going according to plan with your at home toothbrushing and flossing routine.

Then your child comes to you and says their tooth and/or their gums hurt, or they’ve been up at night crying needing pain medicine, or when you look inside their mouth you see a pimple on their gums, or you notice their face is swollen.

You’re thinking, what is this?, why did this happen?, and what do I do?

These are some signs of children’s tooth infections, also known as an abscess, and need to be taken seriously.

Today we’re breaking down the basics on abscesses involving children’s teeth.

What Is A Tooth Abscess?

A tooth abscess is an infection. The abscess is buildup of pus that looks like a red, swollen bump or pimple on the gums.

The most common type of abscess involving children’s teeth is a periapical abscess, which is a bacterial infection.

This type of infection forms when the bacteria from a cavity or fractured tooth spread from the outermost layer of tooth enamel through the to the nerve (aka pulp) of the tooth and out of the tooth to the area around the tooth that is in the bone.

There are 2 other types of abscesses which are ~

• A gingival abscess starts in the gum tissue and does not touch nearby teeth. There are some medical conditions which cause this type of abscess to occur. A popcorn kernel stuck in the gums is also a likely cause of this type of abscess
• A periodontal abscess is located in the gum tissue and alongside the root of a tooth. This is less often seen in children and is most commonly seen in adults.

Why Do Children’s Teeth Abscess?

Cavities are caused by bacteria. When cavities go untreated they grow bigger which allows more bacteria to grow through a tooth.

In some cases a broken tooth can lead to an infection. When a tooth is broken the inner parts of a tooth are exposed and bacteria grows into and through these unprotected tooth layers.

When the bacteria reach the pulp of a tooth, the pulp becomes inflamed, starts to die, and the infection begins.

In addition, there are other instances when there is an accident (aka tooth trauma) and a tooth is hit and/or moved out of place, which can disturb or break the nerve and lead to an infection.

What Are The Signs Of A Tooth Abcess To Look For?

A child’s symptoms depends on several factors including how long the pain has been bothering them and how far the infection has spread.

Also be on the look out for ~

• Pain in the affected tooth may come on suddenly and increase quickly to severe pain (and possibly in other teeth, their ear, their jaw, their neck, their temples, and/or their eyes),
• Pain mostly at night when they are lying down,
• Decrease in eating and drinking,
• Temperature sensitivity,
• Sensitivity to pressure placed on the affected tooth,
• Tooth mobility,
• Color change in the affected tooth (e.g., the tooth turning brown or black),
• Swelling and/or redness in the gums around the tooth,
• Facial swelling,
• Their tongue feeling like it doesn’t fit in the bottom of their mouth,
• Swollen lymph nodes under the child’s jaw or in their neck,
• Bad breath,
• Bad taste in their mouth,
• Fever,
• Feeling sick.

Can An Abscess In A Baby Tooth Affect The Permanent Tooth?

Yes.

Abscesses in baby teeth can affect the development of permanent teeth growing underneath the baby tooth and lead to discoloration, weakened enamel, malformed or mottling of the adult tooth.

Do Children’s Tooth Abscesses Go Away On Their Own?

No.

An abscess in a child’s tooth will not go away on its own.

The pus bubble may pop BUT that does NOT mean that the infection has gone away.

Even if your child’s symptoms appear to be improving, this does not mean that the abscess is healing, an abscessed tooth still requires dental treatment.

In fact the infection will come back worse (and it does) because the bacteria continue to grow causing more pain and swelling.

At the first sign of pain and/or swelling you need to contact your pediatric dentist or pediatrician right away.

When left untreated the infection will not only affect other teeth, it will become a medical emergency.

Are Antibiotics Needed For A Child’s Tooth Abscess?

In most cases a child will first be prescribed antibiotics to control the infection and reduce swelling so that treatment can be performed.

Contact your pediatric dentist or pediatrician to have your child examined for them to determine the best course of antibiotic treatment for your child.

Can A Child’s Tooth Abscess Turn Into An Emergency?

Yes.

If you suspect your child may have a tooth abscess, call your child’s dentist’s office right away and tell them your child’s symptoms.

If left untreated, a tooth abscess can spread to other parts of the body, potentially leading to serious medical complications.

There are times when a tooth abscess can lead to life-threatening conditions.

If your child is experiencing difficulty breathing, difficulty swallowing, swelling in their neck, facial swelling or other potentially life-threatening conditions, you should first seek immediate treatment at your closest hospital’s emergency room.

What To Remember

Abscesses occur as a result of prior injury to a tooth or untreated cavities.

They can affect the development of your child’s permanent teeth.

These infections do not heal on their own and become serious very quickly.

A child’s symptoms depends on a several things in addition to how long the pain has been bothering them and how far the infection has spread.

It’s important to watch for any of the symptoms I’ve described above, and to contact your pediatric dentist or pediatrician immediately with your child’s first complaint.

Do you know a child who has had a tooth abscess? or a dental infection? We hope that everyone is okay, what needed to be done to take care of the infection? Have you ever had an infected tooth? Tell Us, We’d really like to know! Send us an email at kidstoothhotline@proton.me Chat with us and Like Us on Facebook

More tips? We have lots. We’re here just for kids!