Why children’s teeth are important

Primary (Baby) Teeth are important for eating, speaking and smiling. They also have an important purpose of maintaining the space needed for he following permanent (adult) teeth.

If a primary tooth is lost early, the teeth behind it drift forwards and take up the space needed for the underlying permanent tooth. This will result in teeth crowding and possible need for orthodontic treatment.

Early loss of a number of primary teeth can also result in speech problems and the tongue can get into the bad habit of protruding into the space.

Teething

Children’s teeth begin to errupt into the mouth at about 6 months of age and by around 3 years of age they should have all 20 teeth. This is the ideal age at which to have their first dental visit. During teething children’s gums can be sore or tender which can be relieved by using a cold teething ring. A non-aspirin based teething gel may also provide some relief.

Cleaning

Children’s teeth form plaque on them as soon as they appear in the mouth. Thus, brushing should begin from that point on. Children as young as 2 or 3 can begin to brush by watching their parents and imitating them.

You should follow up with a thorough brushing at least once a day as children don’t have the skills to use a toothbrush correctly until about 8 years old. When cleaning their teeth stand behind the child and tip their head back gently and cradle it on one arm. Use a small toothbrush with soft bristles and no toothpaste initially. Then introduce a smear
of toothpaste at around 12 months of age. Use of children’s toothpastes are good as they contain less fluoride and are a mild taste. Children up to the age of 6 swallow the toothpaste so use only small amounts on the brush. Place it across the brush rather than length ways.

Thumb Sucking

Thumb and finger sucking is a perfectly natural reflex for babies but if continued to the age of 5 or 6 it can have major dental ramifications. It can affect the development of the jaws and positioning of the teeth causing “buck teeth”. Discuss this with us at Algester Dental as we may be able to give you some helpful suggestions to help stop the habit.

Bottles

Severe decay can result in children who are put to sleep with a bottle containing milk (even breast milk), formula, fruit juice or any sweetened liquids. The sugars stay around the teeth for hours as no saliva is produced during sleep to wash them away. This results in acid being produced which causes extensive decay.

Diet

Dental decay is caused by acids from bacteria repeatedly attacking and dissolving the protective enamel covering on a tooth. These acids are produced by the bacteria from sugars found in our diet. The longer there are sugars in the mouth, the longer the acid is produced. So try to limit the number of exposures to sweet foods to reduce the risk of tooth decay. Remember, it is the frequency of sugar consumed, not the amount of sugar consumed which is important.

Fluoride

Brisbane has no fluoridation of its water system. As fluoride helps to create tooth structure which is more acid resistant, daily fluoride supplements should be taken by children during tooth development. The recommended doses of fluoride per day are:
1- 4yrs 0.25mg
4 – 8yrs 0.5mg
8 - 14yrs 1mg

Only ever use the recommended dose as taking excess fluoride can lead to fluorous.

Preventive Resin Restoration

Decay in children can occur easily in back molar teeth which have deep narrow grooves on the biting surface. A new procedure to prevent this decay is called reventive resin restoration which involves cleaning out the grooves with instruments designed for micro dentistry. White resin filling material is flowed into the groove and set to form a barrier which keeps food and bacteria out of the groove where cleaning could not reach. There is no discomfort involved and it gives children a head start in avoiding ever to have a filling.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

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