Pediatric Dentistry
As much as the primary teeth serve as a pathway for the eruption of permanent teeth, it requires more attention now than later. The adult teeth take their proper positioning when the permanent teeth push against the root of their baby teeth. However, this calls for proper care about all that makes up the teeth function during childhood. For the first few years as a child, he or she uses these primary teeth to chew, bite and speak until around age 12 where he or she would have a combination of both sets of teeth. This is why it is essential to make sure the health of their teeth are taken care of, even though they would be lost as time demands while growing.
Your Child’s First Teeth
While growing, you start experiencing baby teeth in your child at early months of about six to nine months or even less. However, as the two lower front teeth and first molars erupt followed by the two upper ones, your baby might experience some discomfort during this teething process.
Always make it a routine to wipe your infants’ gums after each meal gently with a damp washcloth, which makes it mild to his or her gum. Also, make it a task to regularly help your infants with a soft brushing routine starting from age 2 until about the age of 6, when they could do it themselves. And because the gums need to be handled with care, it is recommended to use a small soft brush and a light quantity of fluoridated toothpaste.
Your Child’s First Dental Appointment
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that your child see a dentist by his/her first birthday. As early as this may sound, there is no doubt that it is vital to learn proper pediatric oral hygiene techniques where you check for cavities. This practice also allows you to keep an updated track about possible changes that may affect your infant.
Tooth decay comes in a different form which could affect babies and small children, and this is why, as a parent, you should be watchful. As the effect of Early Childhood Caries (tooth decay) causes pain, it also calls for the urgent attention of guardian and parents to take precaution. Tooth decay starting from the hard layer to the tooth into the softer which weakens the gums and deprives infants feeding and some other mouth-related daily activities.
Above all, the idea is to make your infants acquainted to regular dental services, which make him take his dental health seriously as he grows into an adult.
Pediatric Dental Treatments
The following are ways to prevent tooth decay in children or to save or repair teeth:
— Fluoride makes it difficult for decay to occur or penetrate the enamel, although there is a small amount of fluoride in kinds of toothpaste. So for all-round protection against teeth decay, a higher concentration of fluoride can be applied to your child’s teeth, thereby boosting his or her oral health.
Dental Sealants
— Here, cavities can be prevented by applying a plastic coating on your child’s chewing surface of the back teeth. These “pits and fissures” are little crevices that give room for bacteria causing decay. However, it is recommended that dental sealants be applied for maximum protection that lasts for years. (Watch Dental Sealant Video).
— While root canal treatment is rampant in older adults, it is also needed in infants too to save an injured or severely decayed tooth. So, it is essential to take measures that will prevent premature loss of teeth in your child earlier enough. Doing this saves him or her from malocclusion (“mal” – bad; “occlusion” – bite) that requires orthodontic treatment.
Bonding
— In the case of chips and minor fractures, which are common childhood occurrences, it can be corrected with tooth-colored bonding materials. These bonding materials are made of glass and plastic, which can be used on baby teeth when any fracture occurs. (Watch Bonding Video).
Orthodontic Concerns
During your child’s growth process, it is expected that a professional should evaluate your child. This is to ascertain if there is proper positioning of the teeth, especially when your child is around the age of 7. Meanwhile, when you have Interceptive orthodontic treatment during this time, it is a safer way to position the jaw growth thereby reducing the urgent need of it later
Sports & Your Child’s Teeth
For your child who loves sport, a custom-made mouthguard is a highly recommended safeguard. The idea behind this is to eliminate all possibilities of suffering from dental harm, according to the American Dental Association. According to the Body, an athlete is 60 times more likely to suffer dental damage when not wearing one of these protective devices. There are varieties of custom mouth guards your child can choose from to safeguard his or her teeth when engaging in sports activities. It is safer to invest in this mouthguard to avoid the pains and sufferings that come with injuries; however, remember dental expenses that awaits you if proper care isn’t taken.