Childhood Cavities in Valencia: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

Childhood cavities (tooth decay) are the most frequent chronic disease in childhood, even more prevalent than asthma or diabetes. The good news is that it is completely preventable: with correct hygiene habits, periodic check-ups, and proper preventive measures, most children can reach adolescence without having suffered any cavities. At Asensio Dental Clinic, specialists in pediatric dentistry in Valencia, we treat children starting from 18 months and apply preventive protocols from the first visit.

Who doesn’t remember sweets as a child? The problem is not the sugar itself, but the combination of sugar, bacteria, and lack of hygiene that progressively destroys dental enamel. Understanding how cavities act on baby teeth is the first step to protecting your children.

What are the main causes of childhood cavities?

Cavities are a multifactorial disease, but in childhood, there are clearly identifiable causes that parents can control:

Insufficient oral hygiene. Until age 5-6, children do not have the motor coordination necessary to brush effectively on their own. Parents must supervise and complete brushing until that age, paying special attention to the rear surfaces of the molars.

Frequent consumption of sugars. It’s not just the sugar in candies: breakfast cereals, fruit juices, cookies, flavored yogurts, and chocolate milk contain sugars that feed the bacteria responsible for cavities. The frequency of exposure is more important than the total amount consumed.

Prolonged nighttime nursing/feeding. Giving a bottle or breastfeeding at night beyond 12 months, without cleaning the baby’s mouth afterward, is one of the main risk factors for early childhood cavities. During sleep, saliva production decreases and the natural protective effect is reduced.

Fluoride deficiency. Fluoride strengthens the enamel and makes it more resistant to acid attack. Its absence, especially during tooth eruption, significantly increases the risk of cavities.

Bacterial contagion. The bacteria that cause cavities (Streptococcus mutans) are transmitted through saliva. Cleaning a pacifier with one’s own mouth, sharing cutlery, or giving mouth-to-mouth kisses are direct transmission routes from adult to baby.

What are the symptoms of cavities in children?

Cavities advance in phases, and symptoms vary by stage:

In initial phases, opaque white spots appear on the enamel, especially near the gum line. This is the reversible phase: with fluoride and hygiene improvement, it can be stopped without needing restorative treatment.

As it progresses, the spots turn yellow and then brown or black. At this point, the enamel is already destroyed, and a visible cavity appears. The child may start noticing sensitivity to cold, heat, or sweet foods.

If the decay reaches the nerve (pulp), the pain becomes spontaneous and intense. At this stage, gum inflammation, abscesses, and in severe cases, facial swelling may appear. Besides pain, an untreated dental infection can affect the child’s general well-being, sleep, and ability to concentrate at school.

Why should baby tooth cavities be treated?

It is a common error to think that baby teeth don’t matter because “they’re going to fall out anyway.” Temporary teeth fulfill essential functions: they allow for correct chewing, influence speech development, and, fundamentally, maintain space for the permanent teeth forming underneath.

Untreated decay in a baby tooth can lead to infection, premature tooth loss, and the closing of space needed for the permanent tooth’s eruption. This generates malocclusions that later require orthodontics. The cost of preventing or treating on time is always less than correcting the consequences.

Treatment for Childhood Cavities in Valencia

Treatment depends on the stage at which the decay is detected. At Asensio Dental Clinic, we use protocols adapted to each age and the child’s cooperation:

For initial enamel cavities, we apply fluoride and sealants and reinforce hygiene guidelines. For decay that has reached the dentin, we perform fillings (obturation) with biocompatible and aesthetic materials. When decay has reached the baby tooth’s nerve, we perform a pulpotomy or pulpectomy—the equivalent of a root canal in temporary dentition—to keep the tooth in the mouth until its natural loss. In cases where the tooth cannot be saved, extraction is always accompanied by the placement of a space maintainer to preserve alignment.

For children with high anxiety or who need multiple treatments, we have conscious sedation with nitrous oxide, a safe method that relaxes the child without loss of consciousness.

Tips for Preventing Childhood Cavities

Prevention is always the best strategy. These are the measures with the most scientific evidence to reduce the risk of childhood cavities:

Start oral hygiene as soon as the first tooth appears, cleaning with a damp gauze or silicone brush. Supervise brushing until age 6-7 and use fluoridated toothpaste in the appropriate amount for the age (rice-grain size until age 3, pea-size from age 3 to 6). Avoid nighttime bottles with sugary liquids and do not clean pacifiers with adult saliva. Limit juices and sugary drinks, especially between meals. Visit the dentist for the first time by the first birthday and maintain check-ups every six months.

If you want to know how to identify other warning signs in your child’s mouth beyond cavities, we recommend reading our article on how to detect children’s dental problems.