Beyond the regular twice yearly dentist appointments that are scheduled specifically for cleanings and exams, your child might need an additional appointment or so when something goes wrong. With children, especially those who might be afraid of the dentist, figuring out when they need to go might be difficult. This is because some children might not come right out and tell you that they are having problems with their teeth. To help you determine if a dentist appointment is needed, you need to look for the following signs.

Chewing On Only One Side

Take a moment at dinner to pay close attention to how your child is chewing. If he or she normally chews with all their teeth and there is a sudden difference in chewing habits, there could be a problem with a tooth. For example, there might be a cavity that is super sensitive so it hurts to much to chew with it. 

Holding Side Of Face

Keep your eye on your child when he or she is not looking. Do you notice that your child keeps holding the side of his or her face or jaw, as though there is a little discomfort? Noticing his or her hands on the face once or twice for a little bit does not automatically mean that there is a dental problem. However, if you notice that it is happening a lot and for longer periods of time, then you might have a child with a dental problem.

Cries Of Face Pain

It is well known that a damaged tooth can cause pain to relocate to the neck and various places of the face. Also, if you have a younger child, he or she might not understand that it is a tooth that is causing them so much pain. Therefore, if you have a young child that is complaining of face pain and there has not been any recent injuries as of late that you know of, you might want to schedule an appointment with the dentist.

As you can see, you have to be somewhat of an investigator when it comes to figuring out if your child needs an additional dental appointment. Once you have figured it out, make sure that you are calling a dentist like Havendale Dental Office PA right away for an appointment. Do not assume that dental problems can wait for the next regularly scheduled dental appointment.