Child Dentistry
Child Dentistry
We recommend a first checkup by 12 months old to make certain that teeth and jaw development are normal, and even more importantly so that parents and guardians know how to help their children be healthy from the start.
Guidelines for working with children
- Parents/guardians are always welcome in the room
- comfort is always our concern
- parent / guardian consent and guidance are vital, before any procedure
First Visit
We recommend a first checkup by 12 months. A simple guide for when to schedule a first visit:no longer than 6 months after first tooth is erupted
- no longer than 6 months after first tooth is erupted
- at least by 12 months old
- as soon as possible if you have any querrie
ORAL HYGIENE INFORMATION FOR YOUR CHILD
There is a significant value for early well baby dental checkups. In particular,checkups for very young children address many concerns including teaching adults how to care for their child’s teeth and gums, how to help their children learn to care for themselves, answering parents questions and concerns, and planning for future dental health.
Checkups
Education and prevention are the cornerstones of our concern for the dental health of children. In addition to teaching parents and guardians about dental care for their child, checkups are an appropriate time to comfortably and easily evaluate:
- how many teeth are present
- are all teeth present
- loose teeth if any
- braces / bite evaluation
- cavity check
- check health of gums
- habit evaluation
- homecare / prevention
- fluoride use
- review diet
- address adult’s concerns
- teach adults how to care for child’s teeth
Home Dental Care Tips
It is often difficult initially to brush your child’s teeth. They can really put up a struggle, screaming, kicking, crying, running away, not opening their mouths – every kid is different.
Healthy teeth and gums are so important to start out life with. We’ve often heard the value of choosing your battles with your children, and this is one to choose.
Remember that the initial challenge you face is actually more taxing on you than it ultimately is for your child.
Common Procedures Include
- 2-MIN FLUORIDE APPLICATIONS (For prevention from effects of chocolates; Colas; sticky foods on teeth)
- PIT & FISSURE SEALS (Most recommended way of caries prevention by blocking deep pits & fissures of teeth )
- FLUORIDE FILLINGS (for correction of cavities in milk& permanent teeth)
- ORTHODONTIC ASSESMENT (opinion from specialist Orthodontist whether your child needs Braces ?)
- HABIT BREAKING APPLIANCES (For correction of bad habits like Thumb-sucking; Mouth breathing; Tongue –thrusting)
- SPACE MAINTAINERS (To allow permanent tooth to erupt in place if milk tooth has shed off or extracted early.)
- SCALING & POLISHING OF TEETH (to prevent any gum problem)
- COLOURED GLITTERING FILLINGS (Latest Fashion Statement ! in fillings for kids)
Baby Bottle Tooth Decay
Baby Bottle Tooth Decay, or Baby Bottle Syndrome, or Nursing Bottle Mouth are all terms used to describe a dental condition, which involves the rapid decay of many or all the baby teeth of an infant or child.
The teeth most likely to be damaged are the upper front teeth. They are some of the first teeth to erupt and thus have the longest exposure time to the sugars in the bottle. The lower front teeth tend to be protected by the tongue as the child sucks on the nipple of the bottle or the breast.
Baby Bottle Tooth Decay is caused by frequent exposure of a child’s teeth for long periods of time to liquid containing sugars. When your baby falls asleep with:
- a bottle containing formula, milk or juice
- a pacifier dipped in honey
- while breast feeding
The liquid pools around the front teeth. During sleep, the bacteria living in every baby’s mouth, turns the milk sugar or other sugars to acid, which causes the decay.
Parents may not know there is a problem until serious damage has been done:
- Oral checks should be performed by parents to detect early signs of the disease.
- Brown spots along the gumline on your child’s teeth are signs which should alert you.
- If your child prefers soft foods, frowns or cries when eating cold, sweet, or hard foods, they should be checked for tooth decay.
By the time tooth decay is noticed it may be too late and crowns, pulp therapy, or even extraction of the decayed teeth may be necessary. As a result, your child may suffer from long term disorders, which include speech impediments, possible psychological damage, crooked or crowded teeth, and poor oral health.
- You can prevent this from happening to your child’s teeth by learning how to protect them.
- clean your child’s teeth daily
- never allow your child to fall asleep with a bottle filled with juice, milk, or formula (or when awake, sip on it for long periods of time as a pacifier)
- start bottle weaning by at least a year
- give your child plain water for thirst
- make sure your child gets the fluoride needed to prevent decay
- have regular dental visits for your child beginning when their first tooth erupts
TIP: Cut back on sugary bottles by gradually watering them down until they are only water.
Most children begin life with strong, healthy teeth. Help your child’s teeth stay that way. Your newborn is totally dependent upon you as a parent. The decisions you make will have a vital effect on your child’s dental future.
What is a Pediatric Dentist ?
A pediatric dentist is one who deals with all kinds of dental problems for children and are highly trained to manage and treat children, by creating a friendly environment suitable for the child.
To help a child stay totally healthy, the pediatric dentist often works with pediatricians, other physicians and other dental specialists. All children, whether healthy, chronically ill, disabled, or mentally impaired are served best through this team approach. This specialty is becoming even more important as a result of technical advances in medicine and dentistry and the increased populations of children with chronic diseases and congenital problems.
They are also trained in management of uncooperative, physically handicapped and mentally challenged children.
What Types of Treatments Do Pediatric Dentists Provide ?
- HABIT BREAKING APPLIANCES
- SPACE MAINTAINERS
- ARCH EXPANDERS
- DENTAL CARE FOR SPECIAL KIDS
- HABIT,ORAL HYGIENE& DIET COUNSELLING
Should I clean my baby’s teeth?
- Even before the first tooth appears, use a soft, clean cloth to wipe your baby’s gums and cheeks after feeding. As soon as the first tooth appears, begin using a small, soft bristled tooth brush to clean the tooth after eating. Don’t cover the brush with toothpaste. Young children tend to swallow most of the toothpaste, and swallowing too much fluoridated toothpaste can cause permanent spots on their teeth called dental fluorosis.
I find brushing my child’s teeth awkward. Any suggestions?
- Try having your child lie down. Put your child on your lap or on the floor, keeping his/her head steady with your legs. If your child is standing, have his/her back to you with their head tilted slightly and resting against your body. Have your child hold a mirror while you brush and floss their teeth so your child can see what is being done.
Is it important to brush before bed?
- If you have to miss a brushing, the bedtime one is probably the worst one to miss. If you don’t get rid of the bacteria and sugar that cause cavities, they have all night to do harm. While you are awake, saliva helps keep the mouth clean. When you are asleep, there is less saliva produced to clean the mouth. For this reason it is important to brush before bedtime.
How to brush your child’s teeth?
- Every day plaque forms on the inner, outer, and chewing surface of teeth and the gums. Tooth brushing is one of the most effective ways to remove the plaque.
- The best kind of toothbrush to use is one with soft, round-tipped bristles.
- A child will need a smaller brush than an adult.
- Young children do not have the manual dexterity to brush properly. Your child will need your supervision and help brushing until he or she is 8-10 years old to ensure a thorough brushing has been done.
- When the bristles become bent or frayed, a new brush is needed.
- Start flossing your child’s teeth when the teeth touch each other and you can no longer brush in between them.
It’s just a baby tooth, any way it will fall off. Why should I get it treated?
Baby teeth or milk teeth or primary teeth start to erupt at the age of six to twelve months. All these Baby teeth shed out in few years and permanent teeth take their place. However they have really important functions and proper care should be taken for good oral health.
If they are not treated properly the child eventually
- Can’t speak clearly
- Can’t Chew properly
- The child will end up with crowded/crooked permanent teeth
- Suffer from malnutrition
- They have Psychological effect on the child
Are thumb sucking and pacifier habits harmful for a child’s teeth?
By the age of 5yrs to 6yrs most children stop these habits. Thumb sucking and pacifier habits become a problem only when they are prolonged for longer period. If the child uses a pacifier constantly and aggressively it can become oral health problem which needs to be addressed as early as possible, and a habit breaking appliance may be recommended We at Dr. Mohan Dental Clinic have a well-qualified Pediatric dentist who treats our children with all dental needs.
What are dental sealants and fluoride gels?
Sealants are thin layer of coatings placed on the teeth with deep fissures(grooves) mostly back teeth, on their upper or chewing surfaces. In the depressions and grooves they are bonded immediately and they help in protecting the enamel of each tooth. They will not allow the tooth to form caries by forming a barrier between tooth surface and bacteria. Sealants with fluoride combination have more potential of driving away caries in children.
What should I do if my child falls and knocks out his/her tooth?
The American academy of pediatric dentistry has developed this brief guide to help parents and caregivers be prepared for the most common types of childhood injuries.
WHAT TO DO IF…
1) A BABY TOOTH/MILK TOOTH IS KNOCKED OUT
- Contact your pediatric dentist as soon as possible. QUICK ACTION can lessen the child’s discomfort and PREVENT INFECTION.
- Rinse the mouth with water AND APPLY COLD COMPRESSES to reduce swelling.
- Spend time COMFORTING THE CHILD rather than looking for the tooth. Remember baby teeth should not be replanted because of potential damage to the developing permanent teeth.
2) A TOOTH IS CHIPPED OR BROKEN
- Contact your pediatric dentist IMMEDIATELY. Fast action can save the tooth, prevent infection and reduce the need for extensive dental treatment.
- Rinse the mouth with WATER AND APPLY COLD COMPRESSES to reduce swelling.
- If a patient can find the broken tooth fragment, it is important to TAKE IT TO THE DENTIST.
3) A PERMANENT TOOTH IS KNOCKED OUT
- Find the tooth, rinse it gently in cool water.
- Never hold the tooth by the root surface
- Do not scrub it or use soap.
- REPLACE THE TOOTH in the socket and hold it there with clean gauze or wash cloth.
- If you cannot put the tooth in the socket, place the tooth in a clean container preferably with cold milk. If milk is not available put it in a container with child’s saliva but NOT IN WATER.
- Take the child and the tooth to our hospital IMMEDIATELY or call on our number.
4) AN ACTIVITY INVOLVES RISK OR FALLS OR COLLISIONS
- Wear a mouth guard when activity involves the risk of falls, collisions, or contact with hard surfaces or equipment.
- Pre- formed mouth guards can be purchased in sporting goods stores or customized mouth guards can be prepared by our pediatric dentist.
How safe are dental X-rays for children?
Risk with dental x-rays is very little. The radiation to which the children are exposed is carefully limited and monitored by the pediatric dentist. For the safety and minimized radiation lead aprons and high speed films are used. It has been proved that the radiation exposure is almost equal to that from short airplane flight.
Why is early orthodontic care important?
Treatment in young children is called as early orthodontics or interceptive orthodontics. Early orthodontics can enhance your child’s smile, but the benefits far surpass appearance. It can be started as early as 6-7 years of age. Teeth are not yet erupted fully and jaw is in growing stage.
It is done to:
- Straighten the inclined teeth,
- Helps in guiding path of permanent teeth, correcting bite problems,
- Minimize the need for tooth removal,
- Makes brushing more effective
- Makes teeth and gums less prone to caries and infection
When should you start using toothpaste for children and how much?
When teeth begin to appear start brushing twice daily. Before three years child’s teeth are cleaned with water and tooth brush or with soft bristles or finger brush. Brushing by children after 3 years should be supervised by the parents. Toothpaste used should be pea-sized amount and children should not swallow excessive toothpaste. Fluoridated toothpaste should not be used until age 3yrs as they cannot spit it out and excess fluoride is not good for children at that age.