Most parents erroneously assume that gum disease is an adult illness. Recently, however, there has been an increase in gum disease among kids as young as two. It’s typically a result of poor dental habits and consumption of sugary foods and drinks.
If your child has gum disease, his or her gums will appear swollen, red and tender, he or she will have bad breath, and his or her teeth might start falling out. There are, however, various non-surgical treatment options the Salt Lake Pediatric Dentist and other kid’s dentists in Murray might recommend. Here are some of them.
Professional Dental Cleaning
Should your kid’s dentist notice any signs of gum disease, he or she might recommend dental cleaning at least thrice a year. The cleaning gets rid of the tartar and plaque, which typically causes gum disease above your child’s gum line. Dental cleaning is used for gingivitis and as an adjunct treatment for more serious gum disease.
Antibiotics
The objective of prescribing antibiotics for gum disease is to get rid of the bacteria that cause the infection. Before starting your child on antibiotics, the dentist might recommend scaling and root planing to get rid of excess plaque and tartar. Antibiotic syrups and mouthwashes including chlorhexidine, clindamycin, metronidazole, and macrolides are the typical treatment modalities for gum disease.
Scaling and Root Planing
Scaling and root planning are deep cleaning procedures carried out under a local anesthetic. The dentist in this instance scraps the tartar and plaque found above and below your child’s gum line. The procedure also smoothens out the rough spots on your child’s teeth and provides a fresh surface for gum reattachment. It’s used for chronic gingivitis and aggressive gum disease.
If discovered early, the above treatments can halt the spread of pediatric gum disease and even reverse its effects. It might be challenging to detect gum disease in your child early. But with routine dental checkups, a pediatric dentist will recognize any signs of early gum disease and intervene appropriately.
