Nowadays the dental caries is the most spread human disease. Although there has been some progress in the treatment, it is still widely spread among the children. For example in Estonia 60 – 65% of the children and 83 – 100% adults have dental caries. This is why it is important to give a special attention the treatment of dental caries.
When to prevent dental caries?
Already during the pregnancy mother should think about the children´s dental health. During pregnancy children´s teeth are endangered by mineralisation. It is important that mother follows what she eats, takes vitamins, avoids diseases and medications because they may affect growing child´s teeth.
It is necessary immediately to take care of newborn baby’s teeth even before they have erupted. Even infants like to take care of their teeth, but it is important to find right time and means. Parents should understand that dental caries is a infection, which is caused by bacteria called Streptococcus Mutans. It spreads when parents share the same spoon with their children. To avoid spreading it is recommended to clean children´s cutlery or feeding bottle with hot water or using a tissue.
How to prevent dental caries?
There are two ways to prevent dental caries – visiting a dentist and taking care of your teeth daily.
Bottle Tooth Decay
Bottle Tooth Decay is a serious disease for children. It is caused when child´s teeth are too often in contact with sugar which is in the food or drinks. For example it is especially damaging if parents give a feeding bottle to their children overnight. This will damage children´s teeth enamel.
Balanced diet
The right diet and healthy food helps to prevent teeth decay. It would be good to avoid excessive fast and unhealthy food. Of course it is impossible to eat perfectly according to rules, that is why parents should find a way how to reduce sugar consumption among their children. For example to eat sweets only one day in a week.
Brushing the teeth
Brushing the teeth daily is the easiest way to prevent dental caries. It should be done right away when the first teeth have grown. At first, you should use silicon brushes and toothpaste without fluorine. You have to keep in mind that the brush should be soft. Teeth need to be brushed twice a day, in the morning and in the evening. Homely children should brush them before lunch nap as well.
Surely you can use additional oral hygiene measures like dental floss, mouth water and chewing gum. They help to remove food remnants after eating and stop bacteria from duplicating. It is very important to shape child´s correct tooth brushing habit from the beginning. Thereby, parents have a really big role in that.
Dr. Maria Lukjanova / EstDental Ltd
