Teaching Children about Swollen Gums, Bleeding Gums, and Cavities

When your child notices their mouth hurts, you may sometimes be surprised to find out their gums are swollen. At times the gums may only be swollen in one area of the mouth. At other times it is the gum tissue between the teeth that’s the most swollen part. A mistake commonly made by adults (who are not completely clear on oral hygiene and dental illness themselves) is the advice to just go ahead and do a better job at brushing. Once gums are swollen and perhaps even bleeding, even the most vigorous brushing and flossing is unlikely to reverse plaque buildup.

Begin the road to dental health for your child with a visit to a special pediatric dentist. These are dentists who only treat children and their entire office is set up accordingly. The décor, furniture and instruments are all kid friendly. The staff knows how to handle kids who are afraid or otherwise unwilling to open their mouths. This cannot usually be said for general dentists who treat mostly adults and only the occasional child. Children need regular dentist visits just like adults, and planning on taking her every six months is a good rule of thumb.

Bring your child’s oral hygiene products to the dentist visit and see what the professionals think. They may object to the size of the toothbrush, the bristles or the kind of toothpaste you are using. As a matter of fact, many adult types of toothpaste are not indicted for use in children because of the additives they contain. Since children are still prone to swallow some toothpaste, it’s wise to opt for either pediatric toothpaste or a natural kind of toothpaste without all of the additives. This is a better choice for you as well!

Make sure your child answers all of the questions the dentist may ask. Sometimes swollen gums may not point to poor oral hygiene but an injury to the mouth from a hit or a fall. This is especially true for kids involved in sports or who are otherwise very active. At this time you may also consider taking a good look at your child’s protective gear and sports equipment. Make sure she has not outgrown it and it’s still properly protecting her.

Helping a child with swollen gums is a bit of a mixed bag of reviewing oral hygiene, discussing basic safety and ensuring your child has not outgrown either her oral hygiene tools or her protective gear. At the same time, it’s a bit of a fact finding mission. At the root of swollen gums may also be an allergic reaction to either a medication the child is taking, a new food item she has discovered or any other environmental component. Sometimes parents feel a bit challenged by the relationship between swollen gums, gingivitis and the sheer complexity of possibilities. It’s tempting to just let the dentist deal with the gums. However, in this case the process must be a team effort.