Can Cavities in Children Cause Fever?

24 October 2022

Tooth cavities are not a problem exclusively happen to adults, but also occur in children.

Symptoms of cavities in children are generally the same as those in adults, but children may become cranky and fussy, and may even experience fever as a sign of infection.

As generally known, good dental hygiene and health will result in healthy teeth and gums as well as a fresh smile and breath. On the other hand, poor dental hygiene can put you at risk for tooth damages such as cavities or decays.

Symptoms of Cavities in Children

Symptoms of cavities in each child can be different. But in general, these are the common symptoms:

•   White spots begin to appear on the teeth in affected areas. These spots indicate that the tooth enamel has started to weaken/damaged.

•   Initial cavities begin to form in the teeth. These may look like light brown spots/areas.

•   If not treated immediately, cavities can develop deeper and turn black.

In some cases, cavities may not cause any symptoms. Sometimes, children only find out that their teeth have cavities when they have their teeth checked by dentist. However, cavities can also cause children to experience pain around the areas of cavities and heighten sensitivity to certain foods such as sweets and hot or cold foods. In addition, cavities can also cause children to be fussier, irritable, and have a fever which can indicate an infection.

Ways to Relieve Fever in Children Caused by Toothache

When your Little One has a fever, it is important to let them get plenty of rest and to keep their body well hydrated. Therefore, make sure your Little One drinks lots of fluids, especially clear fluids such as water, light broth, and drinks that don't contain sugar. Apart from hydrating the body, drinking lots of water can also help clean germs and bacteria that stick to the teeth. You can also give fever-reducing medicine containing paracetamol as first aid when your Little One has a fever.

In addition, you can also bath your Little One in a tub filled with lukewarm water for 15–30 minutes. If you have just given your child a fever-reducing medication, you need to wait until the next temperature check time before bathing the child in warm water. After giving your little one fever-reducing medicine, check his body temperature again about 45 minutes later.

However, the best way to deal with fever in children due to tooth infection is to immediately visit the dentist. Your dentist or oral health specialist can prescribe antibiotics and other treatments that can treat the source of the infection and get rid of the fever completely.

Reference

https://www.healthline.com/health/rotten-teeth#symptoms

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