Nowadays, tooth decay in 5-year-old children is quite common, stemming from improper oral hygiene habits as well as preferences for foods and drinks containing a lot of sugar such as candy, carbonated drinks, etc. So what should you do if your 5-year-old child has tooth decay? Let’s answer this question with BIK International Dental Clinic through the article below!
1. Signs of tooth decay in 5-year-old children
According to oral health experts, tooth decay in children will progress in stages corresponding to different symptoms. Through these symptoms, parents can recognize which stage of tooth decay their 5-year-old child has.
1.1. Early stage tooth decay (mild)
In the early stages, a 5-year-old child with tooth decay cannot yet detect cavities, instead the most common sign is a change in tooth color. If you look closely, you will see some white spots on the tooth surface due to bacteria attacking the enamel. However, because this symptom is relatively difficult to detect, parents often do not pay attention and miss it, leading to tooth decay progressing to the next stage.
1.2. Stage 2 tooth decay (moderate)
This is the stage where the phenomenon of corrosion is characterized by dark brown cavities on the surface of the child’s teeth. Along with that, 5-year-old children will experience pain in the positions where the teeth are too damaged, affecting the chewing function, causing the child to show signs of anorexia or even refusal to eat.
1.3. Sầu rang o-giai-doan-2 (severe)
If tooth decay develops to stage 3, it means that the child will have to endure severe pain, the number of pain attacks will gradually increase and may be continuous. Once bacteria attack the tooth pulp, the child may have to endure pain that reaches the brain and causes extreme discomfort.
2. Causes of tooth decay in 5-year-old children
The phenomenon of 5-year-old children having tooth decay is not uncommon. According to experts, the cause of this can come from many factors as follows:
– Poor oral care habits: Parents need to guide children to practice proper oral hygiene habits, avoiding leaving leftover food on the teeth leading to tooth decay. If brushing teeth incorrectly, it is not only impossible to completely remove leftover food but also creates conditions for bacteria to attack the teeth.
– Children’s health status: Children with weak resistance or a history of chronic allergies can also be the cause of tooth decay.
– Improper nutrition: Children often love foods containing a lot of sugar such as candy, cakes, soft drinks, etc. If children eat too much of these foods, over time it can cause tooth decay.
– Due to lack of Flour: Flour is an important ingredient in protecting teeth, which is also the reason why toothpaste often contains Flour. In addition to its tooth protection function, Flour can also help restore early stage tooth damage, thereby helping to restore tooth damage.
3. Some tips to relieve toothache pain in children
In case parents cannot take their children to the dentist for examination, they can apply some home remedies to relieve pain for children:
3.1. Using green tea leaves
When a 5-year-old child has a cavity, parents can use green tea leaves to relieve pain for young children. Green tea is known as an effective method to fight bacteria and reduce inflammation. Parents need to take 2 to 3 green tea leaves, wash them, crush them and let the child hold them at the cavity. Hold them for about 3 to 5 minutes then rinse the mouth with clean water, this method can be applied 2 to 3 times a day.
3.2. Use diluted salt water
Salt water is one of the effective toothache relief tips that is widely used due to its good antibacterial properties, helping to reduce infection and quickly relieve pain for children. If a 5-year-old child has tooth decay, parents can mix a cup of warm, diluted salt water for the child to gargle and hold for a few minutes. Note that the salt water should not be too salty or too diluted.
3.3. Using betel leaves
The method of using betel leaves is applied by many mothers for 5-year-old children with tooth decay and has found certain effects. It can be applied by taking 2-3 crushed betel leaves with a little salt, then mixing with a small amount of alcohol and leaving for 10 minutes. Parents take the mixture and let the child rinse his mouth twice, each time 5 minutes apart.
3.4. Using clove oil
Clove oil is one of the medicinal herbs with effective antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties, so it is used to treat toothache in 5-year-old children. Mothers can let their children bite firmly on a cotton ball soaked in clove oil to relieve the pain. If the child accidentally swallows the essential oil, parents should not worry because it is very safe.
4. What to do if a 5-year-old child has tooth decay?
Baby teeth play an extremely important role in the chewing and pronunciation functions of children, so they need to be best protected. So what to do when a 5-year-old child has tooth decay? Doctors can remineralize the tooth, fill the tooth, or even extract the tooth if the decay is too severe.
4.1. Remineralize to treat tooth decay
In the case of children who have just had tooth decay, remineralization can be performed. In 5-year-old children, remineralization to treat tooth decay does not cause any pain for the child. Doctors will use Calcium, Phosphate, and Flour materials to cover the cavity to restore lost enamel, and at the same time prevent harmful bacteria from growing.
4.2. Filling cavities for 5-year-old children
For more severe stages of tooth decay, it is necessary to remove the tooth pulp, then fill the cavity for the child to remove inflammation and bacteria. The filling material is Composite, which is effective in preventing tooth decay in children.
4.3. Extracting severely decayed teeth
If a 5-year-old child is not treated promptly and the tooth decay becomes too severe, the doctor will extract the decayed tooth. Except in cases where the child has begun the stage of changing baby teeth or is in one of the following cases, the extraction of decayed baby teeth will be indicated:
– The baby tooth has an infected tooth root, which can cause a tooth abscess.
– The child’s baby tooth has completely dead pulp, pulpitis with pus can infect the tooth bud below.
– The tooth is too severely decayed, many measures have been tried but it does not improve, then the tooth needs to be extracted to prevent the tooth decay from spreading to the healthy teeth next to it.
5. How to prevent tooth decay in children
To prevent tooth decay in children, parents should note the following:
– Brush your teeth at least twice a day, especially after each meal, to remove food plaque and prevent tartar buildup.
– Let your child use a toothbrush with a favorite shape to encourage them to brush their teeth regularly.
– Replace the toothbrush every 3-4 months to avoid bacteria accumulating and causing tooth decay.
– Instruct your child to use dental floss to remove food debris between teeth, paying attention to using gentle force to avoid damaging the gums.
– Maintain a scientific diet, supplement with all the necessary vitamins and minerals to support increased resistance to help the body fight harmful bacteria.
– Limit children’s intake of candy and snacks, especially before going to bed.
– Visit the dentist regularly at least every 6 months to ensure regular check-ups on oral health.
So tooth decay in 5-year-old children can come from many different causes such as improper oral hygiene habits, inappropriate diet, lack of fluoride,… If tooth decay is not treated promptly, it can cause serious complications such as infection, tooth abscess or even tooth extraction. To prevent these complications, parents can choose BIK International Dental Clinic as a reliable treatment place with a team of highly specialized and skilled doctors.
