PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY

Milk teeth contain more organic matter than normal teeth, so they are more prone to decay and decay more easily and quickly. Children cannot interpret signals such as sensitivity to cold and hot and mild pain, which can be seen in the early stages of caries, in a timely manner. They only realize it when the pain becomes unbearable, in which case it may be too late. Children cannot pay as much attention to oral care as adults. The child's dexterity, curiosity and the parent's attitude determine the tooth brushing habit. A mistake that mothers often make is to fill the pacifier or bottle with sugar, jam, etc. They should be given to children by dipping them in foods such as sugar, or they should be introduced to foods such as sweetened milk and fruit juice during sleep breaks. Thus, teeth become prone to decay due to nutritional irregularity.

A vaccine or medicine that can completely prevent decay has not yet been developed. However, some materials are used today to reduce the number of caries, one of them is; It is the material we call "fissure sealant". Tooth decay usually begins in grooves called "fissures" on the chewing surfaces of molars and premolars. The gutters are covered with the material we mentioned and germs, food residue, etc. are removed from that area. By preventing the leakage of water, the onset of caries is prevented. This procedure can also be applied to permanent molars and premolars that emerge after the age of 6. Another way to prevent decay is to increase the resistance of the teeth to decay. This resistance is gained by applying superficial fluoride to the teeth.

The first duty of milk teeth is to ensure proper nutrition of the child. In addition, the proper development of speech depends on the presence of milk teeth. In addition, an appearance like the one below causes serious aesthetic problems that no one would want to see in their child. Milk teeth protect the area they occupy for the permanent tooth that will replace them and guide the permanent tooth while it erupts. When the milk tooth is extracted early, this natural placeholder function is eliminated. Should caries in primary teeth be treated? Untreated primary tooth decay causes pain, bad odor, difficulty in chewing, malnutrition and ugly appearance. t in this period Untreated dental disorders may cause crooked teeth, jaw development disorders and general health problems (from rheumatism to heart diseases) in the future. Therefore, caries in milk teeth should be treated without making the mistake of thinking "new ones will replace them anyway". Decays in milk teeth; It may cause the child to experience pain at a very young age and develop some phobias in the future. In addition, these caries may cause very early loss of milk teeth.

In case of accidents in which children's teeth are damaged, intervention should be made without delay. It is very important to make a correct diagnosis. For this, your doctor will tell you when and where the accident happened, from which side the blow came, fainting after the accident, vomiting, memory loss, etc. It will ask if there is. The most appropriate treatment can be applied in line with the information given. Dental injuries in children can sometimes cause the permanent tooth to completely separate from its socket. In this case, you should immediately go to your dentist with the emerging tooth. Meanwhile, the tooth should be kept in a glass of milk, or if milk is not available, in clean water.

Babies should be fed with breast milk for at least the first four months. and will ensure the normal development of muscle functions. In cases where breast milk is insufficient, a bottle with a physiological head (with a palate, with a cut-off tip) should be used. Babies should be accustomed to feeding with a cup and a spoon starting from the age of 1. Bottle feeding can continue until the age of 2 at most. Habits such as thumb sucking and using a pacifier should be stopped between 2 and 2.5 years of age. It can be allowed up to age. If there is a thumb sucking habit, the reason for this should be investigated and this habit should be eliminated between the ages of 3 and 6. Respiratory problems have a negative impact on jaw development. If there is breathing only through the mouth rather than through the nose (this situation is better understood during sleep), an ear, nose and throat specialist should definitely be consulted.

When the baby is 6-8 months old (that is, when the first teeth appear in the mouth). ) the cleaning process should begin. It would be appropriate to wipe and clean the teeth (at least the chewing surfaces) by wetting a clean cheesecloth or gauze after breakfast and before going to bed at night. Use of a toothbrush. It is appropriate to start brushing after the child's back teeth emerge (approximately 2.5 - 3 years old). It is very difficult to get pre-school children to apply a technique for brushing their teeth. The important thing at this age is to give the child the habit of brushing his teeth. When children brush their teeth, they often brush the visible or easily accessible surfaces of the teeth. However, in order to prevent caries, it is necessary to clean the interfaces and chewing surfaces of the teeth much better. For this reason, it is good for parents to check after brushing.

Toothbrushes made of soft and nylon bristles suitable for the size of the child's mouth should be used. Hard brushes are not suitable for use as they will erode the teeth. Just as sweeping cannot be done with an old broom, teeth cannot be brushed with an old brush. Brush bristles must be replaced as soon as they become worn (approximately 6 months). How many times a day should I let my child brush his teeth? Just three minutes of effective brushing after breakfast and before going to bed at night is sufficient. Like every good habit, the habit of brushing teeth will be acquired during childhood.

Stress, aggressive, obsessive or timid personality structures, Children whose parents grind their teeth are more prone to this habit.

Teeth wear, grinding sounds made while sleeping, pain in the facial muscles, problems in the jaw joint, headache, loosening and sensitivity in the teeth.

First of all, the psychological factors that cause teeth grinding are tried to be eliminated. If this cannot be achieved, a night plate that can be put on and removed is made for the patient.

Thumb sucking is a common habit at young ages. It usually disappears on its own by the age of four. If the habit continues at the age when permanent teeth emerge, this causes structural disorders in the teeth and palate. The cause of these disorders is the pressure exerted by the finger on the front teeth and palate. The degree of the disorder that occurs depends on the duration, frequency, intensity and position of the finger during sucking.

The most effective way to prevent thumb sucking is to prevent the child who tends to suck his thumb. Getting used to music. Pacifiers cause less harm and can be given up more easily. Timing of treatment is very important. Unless the child himself wants to get rid of this habit, it is impossible for the treatment to be successful. It is psychologically very beneficial for the child to quit before school age so that he/she is not exposed to environmental pressure and ridicule. The child should be guided positively by encouraging and rewarding without being put under pressure. If, despite everything, the habit cannot be broken by the age of 6, consult a dentist. It is necessary to seek professional help.

For babies, sucking is the most natural way to relax and feel safe. If the baby shows a tendency to suck his thumb, he should be directed to a pacifier immediately. Pacifiers are less harmful than thumb sucking; It can also be given up more easily at later ages. The pacifier should not be given for most of the day, but only when necessary. In order not to cause structural disorders, pacifiers with the natural breast structure should be chosen whenever possible. The soundness of the structure of the pacifiers should be checked every day. The size of the pacifier should be suitable for the structure of the mouth.

My baby's teeth rotted as soon as they erupted. What could be the reason? In babies, it is sometimes observed that brown spots appear on the teeth as soon as they erupt, or that these teeth break and fall out. In fact, these stains are tooth decay and teeth break due to decay. The reason why caries occurs at such an early stage is the so-called baby bottle caries. Breast milk or cow's milk, which is the most important nutrient in baby nutrition, naturally contains sugar. If the baby sucks breast milk or a bottle before going to bed at night or during sleep, the milk accumulates in the mouth and creates a favorable environment for microbes to decay the teeth. For this reason, care should be taken to clean the teeth, especially after night feeding.

Since the treatment of caries in babies is very difficult, preventive measures should be taken at an early stage.

Prevent your baby from sleeping with a bottle in his mouth at night.

Try to put him to sleep after feeding.

Do not add sweeteners such as sugar, honey and molasses to the milk in the bottle.

Make sure the baby drinks water after feeding.

İ When the first teeth begin to erupt, wipe them with a clean, wet cheesecloth after night and morning feedings.

If teeth with baby bottle decay are not treated, they will cause pain and become inflamed. Inflamed or painful teeth cause the baby to become restless and disrupt the feeding pattern. Inflammation also affects the permanent teeth coming from the bottom and causes them to become deformed. If these teeth have to be extracted, speech problems may occur in the child. Why can my baby's teeth decay even though he is not feeding from a bottle? In addition to the bottle, pacifiers are dipped in sweeteners such as honey, molasses and jam to silence crying babies, which is another cause of bottle cavities. In addition, carbohydrate-sugar foods given to the baby to keep him busy after the teeth erupt also cause tooth decay. Instead of such foods, the child should eat foods with high nutritional value such as apples and carrots; It is necessary to direct people to foods that help clean teeth.

The use of toothpaste is not recommended in infancy and children up to the age of three. Toothpaste use should be started after the age of three. However, as you see in advertisements, 3-5 cm. However, a paste the size of a roasted chickpea will be enough for brushing. When starting to use toothpaste, any of the fluoride toothpastes can be preferred. The important thing is that the child likes and desires the taste of the chosen paste. It should not be forgotten that an effective brushing process is more important than the paste in the brushing process.

Clean the area around the aching tooth. Gargle with warm salt water and remove any stuck food residue with dental floss. Never put aspirin or similar medications on the tooth. Give your child a painkiller that you have tried before and take him to a dentist as soon as possible.

Put ice on the injured area. If there is bleeding, apply gentle pressure with a clean gauze. If bleeding does not stop within 15 minutes, contact your dentist.

Find the tooth. Take it without touching the root as much as possible. The ideal environment to store the tooth until you go to the dentist is milk. Preserve it in milk in a clean container and go to your dentist as soon as possible.

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