How To Protect Our Children From Caries

10 October 2024

Often, parents think that caries of milk teeth is not so important, because soon the children will replace these teeth, but this is a wrong approach. The caries of milk teeth is complicated by the infection of the soft and cool tissues around it, which may turn into various anomalies and complications.

Parents should definitely start taking care of children's teeth in the antenatal period, i.e. during pregnancy, because the structure of the teeth is formed during the development of the embryo. It is necessary to eat properly during pregnancy, which means eating foods rich in calcium, magnesium, and other microelements. Oral hygiene should be maintained, including brushing, flossing, flossing, and irrigators. It is important to conduct medical examinations not only during pregnancy but also before the conception of a child, in order to avoid caries and other dental diseases.

Caries Prevention In Preschool Children

Cases of caries in preschool children are quite common because one of the main causes of caries is sucrose, which is contained in any product containing sugar. This is compounded by improper oral hygiene. It should also be taken into account that caries progresses especially quickly at this age. After the milk teeth erupt, the child may develop "bottle caries." It develops as a result of neglecting the rules of hygiene. Breast milk contains a lot of sugar. If the bottle and pacifier are not properly cleaned, or if you leave the baby in the mouth overnight, bacteria will multiply quickly, resulting in the development of caries on the first temporary teeth. To prevent this, it is necessary to clean the child's gums and teeth with a special silicone brush. For the age of 1 year, it is possible to buy a toothbrush with soft bristles. By about 1.5-2 years, we should start using toothpaste. Once in 3-4 months, the child should be examined by a dentist. With these means, we prevent the development of caries or detect it at an early stage.

Caries Prevention In School-Aged Children

Caries prevention for school-aged children is aimed at strengthening the enamel. For this purpose, fissure sealing is performed in children - a natural indentation on the chewing surface of the teeth. Tooth sealants are a special compound containing minerals, mainly fluorine. The doctor cleans the enamel of the child's teeth from plaque, performs antibacterial treatment, applies a sealant and removes the remnants of the substance with a drill. The procedure lasts 10-30 minutes. Secondary prevention refers to the treatment of carious lesions in the early first or second stage, when the caries has not yet reached the dentin. Treatment is done by remineralization of the enamel. The procedure is similar to sealing. At this stage, it is necessary to visit the dentist 2 times a year to detect the disease. Children's toothpaste containing fluoride is indicated for the child. Diet is the most important factor in the prevention of caries. Sweets should be limited, after eating, it is necessary to rinse the mouth with water or brush the teeth so that there are no food residues.