There are some occasions when children come to our dental clinic in Malaga with mouth sores, also known as canker sores. These sores are lesions that appear on the mucous membrane inside the mouth and are usually very painful and itchy. It may look like a single sore or several sores at the same time.
As they are very annoying for children, it is important to go to the dentist as soon as possible to remedy them. Below we will explain what the most common causes of these sores are and what prevention methods are the most appropriate to solve the problem.
What causes mouth sores to appear in children
There are two types of causes of mouth sores in children:
- The first cause is usually traumatic in origin. The child may have bitten himself or herself while eating, or may have been chewed or hit…
- Another cause may be an infection. One of the most common is herpetic gingivostomatitis, which is ultimately an infection by the herpes virus.
This type of disease can appear around the mouth, or inside the gums, the roof of the mouth, the tongue, the inside of the cheeks… Some children often stop eating or drinking because of the pain caused by this infection.
Another type of infection is called herpangina. With this, small blisters appear on the pillars of the throat and are also painful for children.
The best way to prevent mouth sores in children
There are two keys that are very effective in preventing mouth sores in children: hand hygiene and dental hygiene.
Infections, especially if children are in nursery school, often come from sharing dummies or toys with other children, which is how diseases are transmitted. Children should be taught to maintain good hand hygiene and not to share these objects with their classmates.
Then, of course, make sure that children are maintaining perfect dental hygiene, as the mouth is where sores are most likely to settle. Follow the oral hygiene tips for children that we are going to give you below to find out how to brush your children’s teeth correctly and how they should learn to do it.
Tips to take care of our children’s oral hygiene
It is essential to brush children’s teeth properly in order to remove all plaque and food debris and thus avoid problems in the future, such as mouth sores. Children’s teeth should be brushed at least once a day before bedtime.
There are different types of toothbrushes depending on your child’s age:
- Between 4 and 25 months a stage 1 manual toothbrush is used.
- Between 2 and 4 years a stage 2 manual toothbrush is used.
- Between 4 and 7 years a stage 3 manual toothbrush is used.
These brushes should be changed every three or four months or when you notice that they are very deformed.
The most basic steps for brushing children’s teeth to prevent mouth sores are as follows:
- First, rinse the mouth with water.
- Then put an adequate amount of toothpaste on the toothbrush and start brushing without wetting it.
- Brush in a circular motion from the gums outwards, on all sides of the teeth and behind the incisors.
- Lastly, brush the tongue.
If you follow all our advice, you will prevent your children from suffering from mouth sores. If you have any doubts or problems, ask for an appointment at Gross Dentistas and we will help you.
Ortodoncista especializada en el sistema de ortodoncia invisible, extensa trayectoria profesional y un gran número de pacientes satisfechos con los resultados obtenidos tras la finalización de su tratamiento.