Children dental care
children dental care is a most important concern of the parents in the world today. Most of the children in present society do not realize the importance of their oral health, and how it can affect their lives. Poor Dental health affects the child’s general health. Bad dental health may affect the development and growth of the child in several ways. with respect to physical health, dental condition affects feeding, proper breathing, speaking, smiling and adapting to social situations. Poor dental health may cause pain and discomfort. embarrassment, lower self esteem and inability to perform activities of daily life.
Children with bad teeth may not grow properly, be underweight, show irritability, be more prone to illness, have higher rates of hospital admission, and complain of sleep disruption. Cavities (also known as caries or tooth decay) are one of the most common chronic diseases of childhood. Untreated cavities can cause pain and infections and such children who have poor oral health often miss more school and receive lower grades than children who don’t.
Guidelines for child dental care :
1. Use soft toothbrush specifically designed for kids
2.Take care that your child don’t swallow the toothpaste
3. Use fluoride toothpaste
4. Brush & Floss at least twice a Day
5.Caring for a child’s teeth
6.Start dentist visit when first tooth appears
7.Appoint your dentist at least twice a year
Dental issues commonly addressed in pediatric patients
a. Baby bottle caries-
d. Tooth Decay
e. Tooth loss
f.Pearly teeth
g. Teeth stain
Baby Bottle Caries
15% of Children develops baby bottle tooth decay.
• Cause: Occurs when a child’s teeth are exposed to too much sugar from drinks, Prolonged use of bottle during bed time causes decay
Never put your baby to bed with juice or milk bottle
Tooth Decay
• Tooth decay refers to the loss of minerals from tooth structure
caused by bacteria.
• The tooth surfaces are normally covered with dental plaque. The
bacteria in the dental plaque will metabolize the sugars in food and produce acids which will demineralize the tooth surface.
• 60-90% of kids suffering from this.
Tooth decay causes…
A. Toothpain
C. Unpleasant odour
Treatments:
– Fluoride treatment
– Dental filling
It varies with the level of decay.