Tackling Tooth Pain in Children
With Halloween right around the corner, it’s important to know what to do if your child starts complaining about a toothache.
Toothaches
At some time in their childhood, children may develop a toothache. Research suggests that 1 of 4 infants and children up to age 5 years have a toothache at some point. That number jumps to one-half of all children by the time they reach age 6 through 9 years. Toothaches can result from infections in the tooth, such as tooth decay, or problems with the gums or other tissues around the tooth. Toothache is different from the tooth pain that occurs when a baby is teething or the tooth pain that occurs when a child has a loose baby tooth.
Tooth Removal
At some point, children may need to have 1 or more of their teeth removed by a dentist. Parents should be aware that pain after tooth removal is usually not very high to begin with and drops steadily after a few hours.
Using Medicine to Manage Pain
If your child has a toothache, make an appointment with their dentist as soon as possible. If the dentist cannot see your child quickly, he or she may suggest pain relievers that you can buy at the store to control the pain for a short time until they can see your child. If the pain continues or gets worse, or your child develops facial swelling or fever, contact your child’s dentist again. If your child cannot see a dentist, you can take your child to your pediatrician, urgent care clinic, or hospital emergency department. If your child has a tooth removed, their dentist may also suggest using pain relievers.
Some health organizations suggest that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and acetaminophen, which can be bought in the store, may help. In the store, these pain relievers go by names like Advil, Motrin, or Tylenol. These medicines come in a number of forms, so it is important to follow your dentist’s directions on which pain reliever to use and to give it to your child.
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