When babies are born, almost all of their milk teeth are formed under the gums, although they are not visible.
Some of these teeth begin to appear in the mouth until the baby is 6 months old. This process may differ in each baby
and this is normal. Generally, the first teeth to appear in babies are the lower front teeth. After this, the teeth gradually begin to take their place on both sides of the jaws. When babies are 36 months old, they should have 20 milk teeth in their mouths. These are typically spaced apart. Due to the size difference between permanent
teeth and milk teeth, these spaces help to leave enough space for permanent
teeth. On the other hand, these spaces also make it easier to clean the baby's teeth.
How Should Milk Teeth be Care?
Although milk teeth are temporary, they are as important as permanent teeth. These help the child to
bite and chew food, make the child appear sympathetic, help
speak correctly, and in a way guide the permanent teeth to settle in the right places while preserving the necessary
space. For these reasons, milk teeth should be taken good care of. When babies have 4
teeth arranged side by side in the upper or lower jaw, they should be brushed twice a day with a soft brush. Since children will swallow the toothpaste instead of spitting
, their teeth should be brushed with only water, provided that the toothpaste developed for them is not larger than a chickpea
grain. Areas where teeth have not emerged should be wiped with wet gauze or cheesecloth. When the teeth touch each other, the gaps should be cleaned with dental floss once a day.
What is Baby Bottle Decay?
Bottle caries are cavities that can quickly destroy the baby's teeth. This is caused by prolonged contact of the baby's teeth with sugary liquids such as fruit juice and milk, which contain high amounts of carbohydrates. These increase the rate of bacteria in the mouth and their acid production, causing cavities in the teeth. What the baby drinks and how often he drinks is of great importance.
These usually start at the back of the teeth, places that are not easily visible. of this In order to be able to get to pregnancy
, the baby should not be allowed to sleep with a bottle and use it as a false breast
. The upper front teeth are most damaged by this type of decay. Baby bottle cavities may occur if the baby's mouth contains bacteria called
Streptococcus Mutans. This bacterium is a common species and is passed from mother to baby between 6-31 months
. In order to prevent this situation, it is very important for the mother to pay attention to her dental health. When the baby is 12-24 months old, the baby should be removed from the bottle and the cup should be introduced, the baby's false
breast should not be dipped in sugar or sugary liquids, sugar should not be added to the baby's food, teeth and gum cleaning should not be neglected, the dentist should be visited after the baby's first tooth emerges. and sufficient amount of fluoride, which is an important substance for teeth, should be ensured.
Permanent Teeth and Their Care
When children reach the age of 6-7, their milk teeth begin to fall out and permanent teeth begin to replace them. This process
may differ for each child. The point to pay attention to here is not when the teeth erupt, but their symmetry and alignment. When children reach the age of 13, most of the permanent teeth
have taken their place in the mouth. Third molars erupt between the ages of 17-21. However, in some people
these teeth may not develop at all. Often, even though these teeth are developed, they cannot erupt because they are not in the right position or there is no room in the mouth and they remain impacted.
A few recommendations for your child's oral and dental health:
Soft, nylon You can use a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste on a toothbrush with bristles
.
You should teach your child how to spit out the foam so that he/she does not swallow the toothpaste.
You should also start using dental floss when your child's two teeth come out touching each other.
br /> When children reach the age of 9, they are able to floss on their own. By using dental floss, we can protect ourselves from cavities by reaching between the teeth where the toothbrush cannot reach.
You can talk to your dentist or pediatrician about whether your child is getting enough fluoride.
Restoration of Milk Teeth in Children
You may think that filling a milk tooth is unnecessary because of the permanent tooth that will replace it.
However, milk teeth are important not only for appearance, but also for the normal development of chewing and speech
br /> carries. Milk teeth also guide permanent teeth to take their own positions.
In addition, tooth decay is an infection. If your child has a decayed tooth, it means that he/she has an infection in his body that may affect his general
health.
Milk teeth are restored with fillings or crowns depending on the amount of remaining healthy tooth structure.
Filling the milk tooth does not make it difficult for the milk tooth to fall out when the time comes for the permanent tooth to erupt.
Restoration of Permanent Teeth in Children
Fillings made in children are no different from those made in adults. However, the construction and
fitting of the crown is quite different. Crowns in children are completed in a single appointment.
Caries Removal and Filling
Young children may have difficulty in having dental treatments. However, a dentist who is experienced in this age group will have a positive effect on the child. First of all, the gums or the inside of the cheek are anesthetized with a topical anesthetic (gel or ointment). When the area is numb, anesthesia is injected to numb the tooth
and the area where it is located for a while.
A rotary tool or laser
is used to remove the decayed tooth tissues and give the tooth the necessary shape for filling. When laser is used for this procedure, there is no need for local anesthesia. When a composite filling
is placed, the tooth surface is roughened with acid, ensuring that the filling adheres to the tooth surface. The filling
is placed on the tooth in thin layers and hardened with a special light. Then, the filling is corrected and
polished.
1-Year-Old Examination
One of the questions on parents' minds is when they should take their children for a dental examination for the first time.
/> According to the American Academy of Pedodontology, the short answer to this question is that it should be visited when the baby is one year old. American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry: Children at risk for early childhood caries It recommends a pedodontic examination at the age of 1
for children.
Caries are not all that parents need to know about their children's oral and dental health.
During the 1-year-old examination, parents,
How to take care of a baby's or toddler's mouth
Appropriate use of fluoride for the child
Oral habits such as thumb sucking
Ways to avoid trauma and oral and facial accidents
Teething and developmental milestones
They should focus on the relationship between nutrition and oral health.
After the first examination, the dentist will recommend a ruler for follow-up examinations. In the past, dentists recommended six-month checkups. Today, dentists adjust the frequency of examinations of children according to their personal needs and risks.
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