If the child's gums are reddened and bleeding, this is a clear sign of an inflammatory process. The initial stage of inflammation is called gingivitis, it is reversible and easily treatable. However, if gingivitis is not cured, it will turn into a severe form - periodontitis, and this disease is accompanied by the destruction of gum tissues.
Inflammation of the gums is the most "popular" dental disease in children. And all because children's gums are very tender and unprotected, and local immunity is still quite weak.
The cause of inflammation in the mouth of a child is improper hygiene. If you brush your teeth in any way, over time, bacterial plaque begins to accumulate on the enamel and in the gum zone.
Pathogenic bacteria (Porphyromonas gingivalis) release toxins and provoke an inflammatory process.
In addition, children's gingivitis can be the result of chronic ailments, such as diabetes, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract or the cardiovascular system.
The first warning signs that you should pay attention to are swelling, redness and bleeding of the gums. Inflammation of the oral mucosa can manifest itself in different ways, it all depends on the form of the disease.
It is this form that is typical for childhood (in 90% of cases). Accompanied by hyperemia (redness) and proliferation of gingival papillae. The kid complains of pain and itching in the mouth, becomes capricious, does not want to eat. In some cases, the body temperature rises to 37-38 degrees, symptoms of general malaise are observed.
Purulent gingivitis is an advanced stage that develops against the background of catarrhal gingivitis. Its symptoms are an unpleasant putrid smell from the mouth, a characteristic cyanosis of the gums. The mucous membrane begins to bleed at the slightest pressure.
Stomatitis in children
This is a lesion of the oral mucosa, which may have a viral, fungal or bacterial etiology. Such a sore makes itself felt with small sores in the mouth or with a profuse rash. Sometimes the mucosa is covered with a yellow or gray coating.
Periodontitis is a serious disease that rarely occurs in childhood. This disease causes inflammation and destruction of the periodontal tissues, atrophy of the marginal gums and loosening of the teeth. The mucosa acquires a pale color, bleeding, as a rule, is absent.
In infants, the gums often become inflamed during the eruption of milk teeth. The tooth tries to “break through” to the surface, thereby injuring the mucous membrane. During this period, the child suffers from severe itching and pain.
To help ease your baby's condition, give him a cooling teether. This is a silicone product filled with gel, it has a slight anesthetic effect (sold in a pharmacy). It is also useful to massage the gums with a rubber fingertip.
How to relieve inflammation of the gums in a child? The most correct decision is to contact a pediatric dentist. However, before visiting a doctor, you can apply home treatment, which will help relieve symptoms for a while.
At home, you can use:
Decoction of St. John's wort against inflammation of the gums
Medicines should be used strictly on the recommendation of a doctor, the course of treatment is about 10 days. The doctor determines the dosage taking into account the age of the child and the causes of the disease.
As a rule, local preparations are prescribed, which include anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and analgesic components. Medicines are used in the form of applications, irrigations and oral baths.
The most effective means:
Before the start of the course of treatment, the dentist necessarily conducts ultrasonic cleaning (removal of bacterial plaque and tartar). In the most severe cases, antibiotics are prescribed.
Medicines for gum disease in children
The most important preventive measure is brushing your teeth daily (morning and evening). Teach your child how to properly hold a toothbrush, explain why it is so important to care for your teeth.
Pay attention to the diet.
Eat more dairy products, green vegetables, nuts, and fresh fruits. Multivitamin complexes are also suitable for strengthening immunity.
And, of course, do not forget about preventive examinations at the pediatric dentist (at least once every six months).
If you are looking for a reliable dentist for your child, we recommend that you look at the list of specialists compiled on our website. Just enter your area of the city or the nearest metro station.
Gingivitis, or inflammation of the mucous around the teeth in children, is a fairly common phenomenon. Most often, gingivitis can be detected in a child at 1–3 years old, as well as in adolescence - in both cases, the “trigger” of the disease can be the active growth of the body, hormonal changes and features of the formation of the immune system
Gingivitis in children develops quite quickly. If a child develops inflammation in the mouth, then the number of bacteria increases significantly compared to the norm. Already after 72 hours, the process of formation of stones from soft plaque begins, the first signs of gum erosion appear. If the situation is neglected, it can lead to the loss of teeth in children - both dairy and permanent.
How does gingivitis manifest itself in children? The symptoms are:
At the same time, the temperature with gingivitis in children does not always rise. Therefore, it is quite easy to miss the onset of the disease. A child may endure discomfort without attaching importance to it, or endure it, fearing a visit to the dentist (especially if he has already had a bad experience with dentistry). That is why it is necessary from time to time to unobtrusively check the condition of the oral cavity of a son or daughter. For kids, this can be done during the game, but for a teenager you will have to find a psychological approach. Perhaps it will be easier (and more correct!) to “introduce” your offspring to a professional dentist, whom he can trust, and periodically take him for preventive examinations.
Only a competent doctor can determine what form of gingivitis a child suffers from, and, accordingly, prescribe effective treatment quickly relieves discomfort. The disease can manifest itself in different ways:
Of course, parents want to believe that they will not have to treat gingivitis in children, knowing the causes of its occurrence. They are really important to know - these can be:
But the main and main reason for the development of gingivitis in both children and adults still remains poor oral hygiene. Remember this the next time you allow your baby to “so be it, don’t brush your teeth once”!
There are many reasons for the development of gingivitis in a child, and not all of them are directly related to the state of the oral cavity. Nevertheless, treatment should begin with a visit to the dentist: he will determine the form of the disease and prescribe proper treatment, which will effectively relieve symptoms - that is, quickly improve the well-being of the child. Indeed, sometimes inflammation of the gums causes real suffering to the baby, and he cannot even explain what is bothering him!
A professional dentist will immediately understand what is the matter, having seen the clinical picture of the disease, and will definitely find an approach to the most capricious young patient. After that, parents (who will also immediately feel better after their child stops experiencing pain) should fully examine the child, starting with a clinical blood test.
Perhaps the inflammation is associated with teething, the formation of roots and the formation of a bite - this is the best option, it can be conditionally referred to the norm. Otherwise, you will need to consult specialists from other medical specialties - you will need to look for and treat the cause that caused gingivitis.
- inflammatory gum disease that occurs as a result of the adverse effects of general and local factors and is not accompanied by a violation of the dentogingival connection. Gingivitis is manifested by hyperemia, bleeding, friability, soreness, swelling of the mucous membrane of the gums; bad smell from mouth. Gingivitis in children is diagnosed based on a dental exam and evaluation of gum health. Treatment involves the elimination of etiological factors, local anti-inflammatory therapy, professional oral hygiene.
Gingivitis in children is a periodontal pathology characterized by inflammation of the marginal part of the gums directly adjacent to the neck of the tooth and interdental gingival papillae. Gingivitis is a common disease in pediatric dentistry that occurs in 2% of children aged 2-4 years; among older children, this figure is much higher. According to epidemiological studies, chronic catarrhal gingivitis occurs most often in children and adolescents, caused by the presence of bacterial plaque on the teeth.
Childhood is a time of active flow biological processes in periodontal tissues: morphological changes in gum tissue, teething, root formation and bite formation. During puberty, periodontal tissues actively respond to hormonal imbalance. All this creates a morphofunctional basis for the development of the inflammatory process, i.e. gingivitis in a child.
A key role in the development of gingivitis is assigned to bacterial pathogens that multiply in dental plaque. This factor is associated with 80-90% of cases in children. The composition of the microflora of plaque and its pathogenicity changes over time: the greater the volume of dental plaque and their age, the higher the proportion of anaerobic bacteria (bacteroids, gram-negative rods, spirilla, spirochetes, etc.) in them. It is believed that gingivitis in children develops in conditions of accumulation of old (1-5 days old) plaque.
Local factors predisposing to the occurrence of gingivitis include inadequate (increased or reduced) functional load on the child's periodontal complex. Such a load may be associated with adentia, malocclusion, crowding of teeth, carious tooth decay, shortened hyoid ligament, etc. The development of gingivitis in children is promoted by poor oral hygiene, tartar formation, teething, mobility of milk teeth, wearing orthodontic structures, poor polished dental fillings in the interdental spaces, overhanging edges of the fillings, the presence of carious cavities on the contact surfaces. In addition, gingivitis can be caused by chronic autotrauma caused by improper brushing of teeth and mechanical trauma to the gum mucosa.
Among the common factors that play a role in reducing the local protection of the gums to toxins and inflammatory mediators produced by the microbial flora of dental plaque, xerostomia, hypovitaminosis, allergic diseases, infections (ARVI, influenza, tuberculosis, chronic tonsillitis), diseases digestive system(cholecystitis, dysbacteriosis), rheumatism, diabetes mellitus, blood diseases, etc. Often, gingivitis in children occurs together with stomatitis in the form of gingivostomatitis.
According to the nature of the course in children, acute and chronic gingivitis are distinguished. Taking into account the degree of change in the mucous membrane of the gums, catarrhal, ulcerative, hypertrophic and atrophic forms are distinguished. Depending on the area of inflammation, gingivitis in children can be local (if one interdental papilla is affected - papillitis) or generalized (if most of the gum is affected).
The severity of gingivitis is assessed by the depth of the inflammatory process: a mild degree is characterized by damage to the interdental papilla only; medium - inflammation of the entire free (marginal) gums; severe - damage to the free and attached (alveolar) part of the gums.
The main signs of the onset of the disease in a child are hyperemia, bleeding, swelling, hypertrophy, ulceration of the gums. For each clinical form their causes, features of the course, pathological changes are characteristic.
An important role in the treatment of gingivitis is played by vitamin therapy, the correct regimen and nature of nutrition (restriction of carbohydrates, the use of a sufficient amount of fruits and vegetables).
If the child and parents follow the recommendations of the pediatric dentist, fulfill the requirements of oral hygiene, complete cure. A long course of gingivitis in a child can lead to the spread of the inflammatory process to the supporting apparatus of the tooth with the development of periodontitis.
Proper selection of a toothbrush for a child (according to age, with soft bristles), the use of special children's toothpastes with extracts is of great preventive importance. medicinal plants, timely change of toothbrushes. It is necessary to conduct regular professional hygienic complexes in the conditions of the nursery. dental clinic at least 2 times a year, teaching the child the skills of proper brushing under the supervision of a specialist.
Gingivitis in children is a common pathological condition that occurs quite often in dental practice. It is not difficult to notice gingivitis in a child, since its signs are clearly expressed. An asymptomatic process is extremely rare.
Gingivitis is an inflammatory process in the gums involving the interdental gingival papillae. The disease is initial stage inflammation, because in the future the process can spread to other areas. In this case, the bone tissue can suffer, up to the loosening of the tooth. The integrity of the periodontal joints in this pathological condition remains unchanged.
Most often, gingivitis occurs in children aged five years and older. Gingivitis is extremely rare in children under 1 year of age. Parents whose children are 2 years old should carefully monitor their children - more often treat toys and hands. This is because children in this age group move independently and have greater access to all items.
If the rules of oral hygiene are not observed, the acid-base balance in the mouth. Favorable conditions are created for the development of pathogenic microflora, the deposition of abundant plaque and calculus on the teeth.
Even minor damage to the oral mucosa can lead to an inflammatory process. Scratches and cuts can be caused by the sharp edges of chipped teeth or uneven surfaces of fillings. Burns, as a rule, occur after eating a fairly hot food. It is worth noting that some foods can corrode the oral mucosa (tomatoes, kiwi, lemon, and others).
In turn, carious teeth, both milk and permanent, cause an inflammatory process in the gums. With caries of several teeth at the same time, the pathological process can become widespread.
Gingivitis in children can develop against the background of malocclusion, as a result of which chewing function is impaired. The child cannot chew food thoroughly, which means that the process is delayed and the load on the jaw increases significantly. Children with an anomaly in the development of the frenulum of the tongue and lips are at risk for gingivitis.
Wearing special designs to correct the bite (trainers, braces, caps) can cause gingivitis.
Difficulty in the eruption of permanent teeth often leads to a pathological condition, which is provoked by insufficient cleaning of the dental surfaces or its complete absence in painful areas. Microorganisms find a favorable soil for themselves and multiply rapidly, causing inflammation.
The age of the child plays a leading role in determining the causes of the disease. If the child is 2 years old, then teething and infection from household items or toys are to blame.
Gingivitis has two main variants of the course: acute and chronic.
Disease always comes either from an excess or from a deficiency, that is, from an imbalance.
Hippocrates.
Depending on the degree of damage to the gums, gingivitis is divided into: catarrhal, ulcerative, hypertrophic and atrophic.
Catarrhal gingivitis is most common among children. early age. The first year of a child's life is accompanied by the eruption of milk teeth. Babies tend to put everything in their mouths. Therefore, gingivitis in a one-year-old child is natural.
In the acute stage of the pathological process, the body temperature rises slightly and can last up to 2 days. The acute stage of the process subsides by 2-3 days and becomes chronic.
The ulcerative form of gingivitis is a complicated course of the catarrhal form of the disease.
Gingivitis in children, accompanied by gingival hypertrophy, is usually chronic. There are practically no signs of inflammation. Body temperature may rise to subfebrile figures or be completely absent. Most often, the pathology occurs in adolescence.
Hypertrophic changes in the gums almost immediately turn into atrophy. The gum thickens significantly, as a result of which the blood supply to the site of damage stops. The resulting ridges lead to the exposure of the necks of the teeth. Body temperature against the background of atrophic changes does not change.
How much to remove teeth that can no longer be saved is up to the dentist.
Through the bloodstream, the infection can spread to the kidneys (glomerulonephritis) and to the heart (endocarditis).
Diagnosis of gingivitis in children is carried out with the help of a thorough examination of the oral cavity, both visual and instrumental.
How to treat gingivitis, the specialist determines. Self-medication is not recommended.
Surgical treatment of gingivitis in children is indicated for hypertrophic and ulcerative necrotic gingivitis.
Often the best medicine- to do without it.
Hippocrates.
Greetings to all who have taken the time to visit this little site. The topic of discussion is the treatment of gingivitis in children. For those who do not know what gingivitis is, it is inflammation of the gums that occurs with injuries, infections, etc. You have probably noticed this in yourself more than once. If this problem causes discomfort in adults, then it is much more difficult for children. The younger the baby, the more trouble. Appetite disappears, sleep is disturbed, and the mood in this state is unlikely to be good. Below I will write down the details to make it easier for you to understand this issue.
A story happened not too long ago. Since I am engaged in dental topics, a relative who has a small child came running to me. It was she who came running, in tears, panicking and asking me what is it?
When asked if it was an infection, I honestly answered that I had no idea. Why? Because the diagnosis should be made by a doctor. Not dad and mom, not familiar (even if he studied medicine fifteen years ago), but a doctor who deals specifically with that area of medicine (in this case, dentistry) that studies something “similar”. That is, if you have a toothache - to the dentist, ear - to the ENT. Not to Google, not to your neighbors, but to a person who has learned to determine what exactly happened to you. He has the opportunity to send you for examinations.
There is such a thing as differential diagnosis. This is when you need to distinguish the symptoms of one disease from others - similar, but associated with a completely different disease.
Gingivitis in children
When some kind of muck affects the gums, it is important to figure out whether it is or, for example, periodontitis. So what exactly do the symptoms of gingivitis look like? In acute form:
If the disease becomes chronic, cyanosis of the gums appears.
In most cases, during the initial examination, you can find:
If the gum moves away from the tooth, then it is likely that this is not gingivitis, but periodontitis. If gingivitis in children is treated even with banal mouth rinses and “lotions”, then more dangerous diseases gums can even lead to tooth loss.
The reasons lie not only in poor hygiene. Often children suffer from this disease during the period when they have milk/permanent teeth. Toddlers put their hands, toys into their mouths, often injuring their gums. This also leads to the symptoms described above.
The main cause of this disease is the microflora of plaque on the teeth. Poor oral hygiene leads to the appearance of plaque, and the microflora of the latter, in turn, intensively produces inflammatory mediators and toxins. When they affect the gum, they provoke active inflammatory processes in it, manifested by bleeding, swelling and other.
On a note! In other words, the main factor in the development of the disease is soft deposits and plaque on the teeth, that is, poor hygiene.
In addition, there are other factors that contribute to the development of gingivitis, but they themselves do not cause inflammation (only contribute to its appearance). These factors may be local or general. The locals include:
There are also common factors - these are diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, heart or blood vessels, various infections, diseases of a hormonal or hereditary nature. Because of all this, immunity decreases, that is, resistance to the previously mentioned harmful substances produced by the microflora of plaque on the teeth.
Given that the main causes are plaque, stone and dirt that children drag into their mouths, plus caries, it’s easy to guess what needs to be done in preventive purposes. We brush our teeth, wash our hands, do not take toys in our mouths. You will have to follow all this personally, because the kids do not care at all about your "must". It is you who think that “it is necessary”, but they only understand “I want / do not want”.
Need healthy teeth and gums in a child? Okay - take a look:
Children need an eye and an eye, otherwise you will not notice how their teeth deteriorate, gum problems begin, etc.
Treatment of gingivitis in children
Immunity is one of your main goals. If he is weakened by a cold and other diseases, take up strengthening. There are a lot of folk and not very ways to do this. If gingivitis occurs frequently, you need to find out what exactly is causing it.
The most difficult moment. Here the question always rests on the non-standard and ambiguous situation. On the one hand, it is necessary to remove plaque and prevent its hardening and mineralization. It seems like you need a hard brush and abrasive paste.
On the other hand, children have weak enamel, which can easily be damaged. Coarse bristles can also cause gingivitis in children, as it causes mechanical damage to the gums.
What can be advised? Choose a soft toothpaste and a soft brush for small children/medium for older children. You just need to clean it regularly and efficiently. That is, in all places you can get. You can even buy an electric toothbrush. Many say that it removes plaque better than manual cleaning. Which one to choose? Read reviews. In them you will find answers to many of your questions.
Pasta is more difficult. See composition. It should not contain sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS). It dries out the mucous. If there is calcium, it should not be chalk, but compounds that are normally perceived and act on enamel not only as a banal abrasive.
Minimum. Its excess causes fluorosis, and this is very dangerous for any person, not to mention small children.
If you choose the right toothbrush and toothpaste and brush your teeth regularly / properly, there will be a couple of reasons for the occurrence of gingivitis.
Treatment of gingivitis in children under one year old is complicated by the fact that many drugs prescribed by doctors (without reading the instructions) are allowed only from the age of two, and sometimes even from 10-12. Yes, yes, you can send a forest of doctors who write on a piece of paper the name of some kind of gel, in the instructions of which it is written in black and white that children under ... should not be given.
That's not all, gentlemen. If you search the Internet for an article about lidocaine, you can turn gray. The American office responsible for medicines and products published a report in which they painted how a popular anesthetic can lead to serious health problems and even death in a small child. And the "humor" is that we are not talking about an overdose. Cases of application within the framework of doctor's prescriptions were checked.
Therefore, when starting the treatment of gingivitis in children under 2 years old, it is important to take into account such factors as individual body reactions, allergies, and so on.
For older kids, the plan is simple.
The use of such simple means makes possible treatment gingivitis in children at home. Of course, after they had removed plaque and tartar. If soft and hard plaque remains on the teeth, all your efforts are a waste of time, nerves and money for medicines. Therefore, we are not lazy, we take the kids to the dentist.
Propolis tincture
Do not forget about such a wonderful tool as propolis. It is useful, harmless to children, relieves inflammation, has an antiseptic effect. What is no less pleasant - it costs a penny when compared with any conventional medicine from a pharmacy. If children do not have allergies to bee products, then the option is suitable.
Once again, I remind you that alcohol tinctures of propolis should not be given to children. For the reasons mentioned above. In addition, alcohol is absorbed into the mucous membrane and is unlikely to be useful, for example, to a one-year-old baby.
If teeth are cut, it immediately becomes clear what is happening. We smear with gel, rinse, wait for it to pass. If it rises and does not go astray, we call the doctor at home.