Case 1

A child presents with dental pain and the mother asks you if you can help with pain as she hasn’t given him anything so far. He is complaining of toothache for the last 4 hours. His mum states that he has a very sweet tooth and doesn’t brush his teeth. They have moved into the area recently and haven’t registered with a dentist yet. You examine the child and make a note of his dentition.

What would you expect to find in an 8-year-old child?

You find evidence of dental caries with erosions present on several teeth. There is no evidence of dental infection. Briefly explain the pathophysiology behind the cause of caries in this child and the anatomical reason why his teeth are painful.

The child’s mother asks you if you can help with the pain as she hasn’t given him anything so far. Indicate which of the following are appropriate initial treatments for this child.