The American Dental Association has established February as Children’s Dental Health Month to promote good oral health habits in children that will help them grow into healthier adults. Indeed, establishing a good oral health routine as a child will help reduce the incidence of potentially serious oral health issues like gum disease, tooth decay, and more. If you have children in your care, it’s your responsibility to teach them about oral healthcare and monitor them for any signs of potential issues.
One such health issue is gingivitis, which is the earliest stage of gum disease. It is one of the most common oral health issues in children, affecting up to 75% of kids at some point during childhood. As a parent or guardian, you can work with your child’s dentist to prevent gingivitis from progressing into full-blown periodontitis. The first step is learning to recognize the signs and symptoms.
Here are some tips to help you:
What is Gingivitis?
Gingivitis is the first stage of gum disease. It is characterized by swelling, redness, pain, and bleeding of the gums. While these symptoms may be relatively mild at first, they get worse as they progress, eventually becoming periodontitis, also known as gum disease. If gum disease is allowed to progress, it can cause tooth loss and potentially life-threatening infections.
Symptoms of Gum Disease
As we mentioned already, the earliest symptoms of gum disease include:
- Swelling and redness of the gums
- Pain or tenderness of the gum tissue
- Excessive bleeding of the gums during brushing, flossing, and eating
- Receding gums that expose the tooth roots
- Persistent bad breath
As a parent, it may be difficult to recognize these symptoms unless your child tells you about them. That’s why it’s a good idea to take an active role in your child’s oral health. You can brush and floss together with them, watching for any issues like blood in the sink that could indicate problems. You can also inspect their gums regularly to watch for swelling and redness. Your child’s dentist can aid in your efforts by measuring any recession of the gums over time. If they notice a problem developing, you can monitor the situation at home and schedule a dental checkup if symptoms worsen.
If you start to see more serious problems, like loose permanent teeth, or if your child develops a gum infection, we recommend seeing a dentist immediately, as these are both signs that gingivitis may have progressed into gum disease. You need to keep an eye on your child’s oral health if they have risk factors for developing gum disease, like family history, diabetes, poor diet, or the use of certain medications.
Pediatric Dentistry in Chicago
If you want to prevent your children from developing gum disease as adults, the time to instill good oral health habits is now. The earlier gingivitis is recognized, the easier it is to treat. Teach your children the importance of brushing twice daily, flossing once daily and as needed after meals, and using an ADA-approved mouthwash. Scheduling a dental checkup every six months is another crucial aspect of maintaining proper oral health, so if you haven’t scheduled an appointment yet this year, we suggest doing so as soon as possible.
At American Dental, we treat patients of all ages at our 8 locations in the Chicago area. We will be happy to help you if you are looking for a family dentist in River West Chicago or any other Chicagoland community.
Visit our contact page for a list of clinics in the area, and call (773) 692-5928 or schedule an appointment online today!