Smile is a precious gift to hold on forever. So preserving that healthy smile is very important particularly in your younger ones
Milk teeth are very crucial for various reasons.
They help in proper chewing of the food thereby ensuring availability of all the required nutrients. They influence your child's overall health.
They help in proper development of speech. They are crucial for proper growth of jaws & to establish proper structure for the face.
Milk teeth guide the permanent teeth to erupt in their correct position thereby avoids teeth crowding.
Good teeth at younger age are of paramount importance in building confidence & self esteem in children
What are the steps to ensure good dental health for children?
The various cavity preventive procedures include:
Reduce frequent snacking
Avoid baby sleeping with sweet solutions in mouth
Brush effectively twice a day with fluoride toothpaste
Floss daily
Have sealants applied
When appropriate Assure proper fluoride through drinking water, fluoride products or fluoride supplements
Control unhealthy thumb, finger and pacifier habits
Seek regular dental check-ups
What is tooth decay and how does it affect your child’s teeth?
Tooth decay is one of the most common dental diseases in children.
Germs (bacteria) in the mouth change the sugar in food to acid. The acid can eat a cavity in the tooth. At the initial stages, food can get lodged into the cavity & can be irritating.
In advanced stages, the decay can be quite painful. The pain disturbs sleep, leads to swelling & tooth fracture. These episodes can be recurrent, affecting the growth, studies & confidence levels for the child.
Early loss of teeth can lead to crowding in permanent teeth. Prevention & Early treatment is the best procedure to save teeth.
What is Early Childhood Decay or baby bottle syndrome and how can that be prevented?
Infants and children who sleep with a bottle containing anything but water are in danger of developing early childhood decay or baby bottle syndrome.
Pacifiers dipped in sugar or honeys are equally dangerous. While a child sleeps the salivary process slows, which allows liquids remaining in the mouth to pool around the sleeping child's teeth. Sugars in the liquid combine with bacteria in the mouth to form acid that dissolves the immature enamel. Newly erupted first teeth are highly susceptible to decay.
Unfortunately, it does not take long for extensive tooth decay to develop. Early childhood decay is easy to prevent.
Avoid lulling young children and infants to sleep with bottles and sweetened pacifiers.
Remember to massage and cleanse your infant's gums with a soft cloth or piece of gauze after each feeding.
Visit the dentist at the time of first birthday of your young one.
Reasons why the primary teeth needs to be well maintained
The primary teeth although temporary needs to be taken care of. A child needs strong healthy teeth to be able to chew food properly for good nourishment. Normal speech with proper pronunciation of words is possible only with well-maintained primary teeth. The primary teeth holds a place in the jaw which is gradually replaced by the permanent teeth. The primary teeth should be kept clean and healthy, free from cavities. Otherwise the pain and infection can affect the underlying permanent tooth bud.
Care of the primary teeth
Primary teeth are susceptible to decay as soon as they first appear in the oral cavity. One of the most common types of tooth decay in infants is called the nursing bottle syndrome where the infant’s teeth is exposed to sugary liquids for a long period of time. This can be avoided by not allowing the infant to fall asleep with the bottle containing milk or formula. Wipe your child’s gums with a wet tissue or gauze after each feeding. Begin brushing your child’s first teeth with a minute quantity of a fluoridated toothpaste. Children should be taught to spit out the remaining toothpaste and rinse with water after brushing.
Why is preventive dentistry important?
Children with a healthy mouth have a better chance of general health.
Oral conditions can interfere with eating and adequate nutritional intake, speaking, self-esteem, and daily activities. Severe tooth decay can affect growth and development.
Children with dental pain may be unable to concentrate in school.
Preventive dentistry means less extensive and less expensive treatment for your child.
What are pit and fissure sealants or dental sealants?
The back teeth or posterior teeth have uneven pits and fissures that are difficult to keep clean as toothbrush bristles cannot reach into them. The pits and fissures hold plaque and food debris. Most tooth decay occurs in these hard-to-clean grooves. Tooth decay is the most widespread disease among children, but also the most preventable.
One of the methods that can be used to prevent tooth decay is a "sealant". A dental sealant is a plastic-like material which is painted on the tooth surface and cured with a special light. Dental sealants keep out plaque and debris and decrease the risk of decay. Dental sealants are also called pit and fissure sealants. Sealants are applied onto the teeth surfaces within a short period after eruption.
How do topical fluorides prevent the onset of tooth decay?
Fluoride application is one of the most effective procedures in restricting onset of tooth decay.
Fluoride is used in small amounts on a routine basis, to prevent tooth decay.
It encourages strengthening of weak areas on the teeth that are prone to decay.
Fluorides induce remineralisation. The remineralisation process significantly increases the size of the enamel crystals. These larger crystals are more resistant to acid attack than even natural enamel.
Fluoride treatments are very effective in avoiding formation tooth cavities.
Procedure of topical fluoride application
Dentist can paint the fluoride on the teeth or apply with the help of a tray. The gel or foam is applied through the use of a mouth tray, which contains the product. The tray is held in the mouth by biting. Application generally takes about four minutes, and patients should not rinse, eat, smoke, or drink for at least 30 minutes after application.
