Treatments - Child Dentistry

Laying down a good oral hygiene care routine in children leads to the foundation of healthy teeth. Today children are consuming all types of junk foods such as burger, chips, chocolates, etc. These products, if not cleared from the mouth, remain stuck to the teeth. The bacteria then act upon them and cause tooth decay.

Children should be taken for a check up with the dentist when their teeth start erupting. Any progressing decay or disease can be identified and appropriate treatment given.

Baby bottle tooth decay, Baby bottle syndrome or nursing bottle mouth (all denoting the same condition) is a condition in small children who continue having milk from the bottles in their sleep. The milk, which may contain sugar, then pools around the teeth and then causes tooth decay. It causes rapid decay of many or all teeth.  Lower front teeth are usually protected by the tongue and hence may or may not get involved. This condition is caused by frequent exposure of the child’s teeth to liquids containing sugar.

Decay in milk teeth

During sleep, the bacteria in the baby’s mouth, act upon the milk sugar or other sugars to produce acid, which causes the decay.

Decay of teeth and subsequent loss of the teeth in early childhood can pose a number of problems in the child. These include:

• Speech problem in the child
• Inability to eat properly and hence less nutrition provided resulting in decreased weight gain and delayed growth
• Aesthetic (looks) problems which may lead to a lower self-esteem among the peers
• Other teeth may move into the gap created by the lost tooth. This decreases space available for the permanent teeth which erupt later. All these may lead to misaligned teeth.
• Young children with tooth decay have higher risk for future tooth decay in permanent teeth. Sometimes, the decay may even cause problems in the developing permanent teeth

Care: Start cleaning the mouth of your child even before the teeth appear. Using a soft and clean cloth wipe the gums and tongue of the infant. When the teeth start erupting, brush them with a soft, small toothbrush with round bristles. Do not use a fluoridated toothpaste as the baby may swallow it.

Visit the dentist as the teeth of your baby start erupting. Get any decay filled in time. Get appropriate treatment such as root canal treatments, crowns, extractions, space maintainers, etc as suggested by the dentist. Ask about fluoride supplements and sealants to your dentist.