Common Health Risks in Young Children That a Family Dentist Can Help Treat

Finding a family dentist in your local Novi, Michigan, area will make life much easier for you and your family. A family dentist can treat every family member, from the youngest to the oldest. Dr. Rekha Mahajan of Mahajan Dentistry understands that specific oral health risks present themselves at different stages of life. Specifically, there are unique oral health risks that are present in children. We are here to help your family every step of the way, so let’s look at some of the top oral health risks for children.

Health Risks for Children Under Nine

Two prevalent oral health risks which present themselves as soon as your child’s teeth erupt from the gums are the development of cavities and unforeseen dental emergencies. While we can help you guide your children with healthy habits to prevent cavities, a dental emergency cannot be predicted or, in most cases, prevented.

Cavities

Around 42 percent of children between ages 2-11 develop cavities. This is a troubling statistic for dentists. To parents, it may seem like getting a cavity in a baby tooth isn’t such a big deal. After all, isn’t the tooth going to fall out anyway? Indeed, primary (baby) teeth are not permanent, but that doesn’t diminish the problem of tooth decay. Treating a cavity in a baby tooth is important so that the adult teeth can emerge correctly. Untreated cavities can also lead to infections.

Dental Emergencies

Children run and fall constantly. As you gain experience as a parent, it becomes more apparent what accidents are minor and which are more major. You may, however, find it difficult to assess an accident that results in a dental injury.

Can you identify a dental emergency? Some dental emergencies in children include:

• A knocked-out tooth
• A bite in the tongue or lip that won’t stop bleeding
• Severe toothache
• Cracked or broken tooth
• Object stuck in teeth

Seeing a dentist who can care for a child’s special needs is so important. If you are looking for a dentist who provides family dentistry services, please contact Dr. Mahajan at (248) 971-2200.