Signs That Your Child Might Be Hiding Pain to Avoid the Dentist
There are always going to be kids that hate the dentist. You might even have a child who has developed an irrational fear of the dentist. If your child has had a bad experience in the past, they might try to avoid an unexpected visit any way that they can. Here are six signs that your child might be hiding pain or sensitivity in order to avoid going to the dentist.
1. Sensitivity to Heat and Cold
If your child doesn't want their usual favorites such as ice cream or hot chocolate, something is probably going on. If your child is wincing when they are consuming hot or cold foods, they might be having dental pain.
2. Avoiding Crunchy Food
If your child is consistently opting for soft food and forgoing cereal and crackers, they might have a dental issue that is irritated by rough food. This may be sign of a gum problem, since crunchy food can tear up or irritate gums.
3. Avoiding Oral Care Routine
Brushing, flossing, or using mouthwash might irritate mouth or gums. If your child is avoiding their teeth, this will become apparent during their morning and evening oral care routine.
4. Awkward Movements
If your child is hiding something, sometimes you can just tell in their body movements. If your child winces or has strained movements when turning their neck or talking, there might be a dental issue going on.
5. Swelling or Bruising
Kids get hurt all of the time. If your child has acute swelling or bruising on their cheeks or jaw, this could be a sign there is something wrong with their teeth. If your child has recently hurt themselves on the playground or another accident, a secondary injury may have occurred to their teeth or jawbone.
6. Trouble Sleeping
If you child seems sleepy all of the time or is getting up quite a bit at night, there might be lingering pain that is keeping them awake. If you notice a change in sleep patterns and you can tell that something is keeping your child awake, check in with them to see what is going on.
If your child has chronic problems with their teeth, learn the signs that can indicate that an emergency trip to the dentist is in order. If your child is in pain, they might be successful at masking an emergency situation. Make sure to talk to your child if they are showing signs of pain. They might not fess up, but you might be able to identify the problem and get them in to see a dentist and treated immediately.
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