Why early visit to a dentist is important?
Oral healthcare should start as soon as the baby is born. Parents should give importance to child oral hygiene as soon as the first tooth erupts.
Early oral hygiene habits will develop strong teeth and gums of the child throughout the life.
The parents should visit the dentist along with the child as earlier as 1-2 years. The child will have minimum fear of dental treatment and will have a better bond with the dentist. Early check-up will also help to diagnose and treat dental issues with simple procedures like teeth filling instead of procedures where tooth decay is deep and local anaesthesia might be required.
Types of treatments offered for a child:
1. Cleanings and preventive care:
A check-up with a paediatric dentist every six months is best. It’s a chance for your child’s teeth to have a professional cleaning. Plus, they get to review their own dental hygiene skills. It also allows the dentist to keep a watchful eye on their oral health.
2. Fluoride:
Fluoride treatments help strengthen teeth. They can prevent cavities and discourage the build-up of tartar and plaque.
3. Fillings:
If decay or injury damages a tooth, a filling can restore its stability and function.
4. Sealants:
Thin layers of resin-based material, sealants are bonded to the chewing surfaces of teeth. They protect hard-to-clean areas from decay. In fact, they can cut the risk of cavities by up to 80%.
5. Bonding:
Bonding is a quick, easy way to fix teeth that are crooked, chipped or discoloured. During the procedure, the dentist sculpts a white resin directly onto the tooth to repair the flaw.
6. Extractions:
When a tooth is too severely damaged to repair, an extraction may be necessary to remove it.
7. Crowns:
Crowns are steel or porcelain caps that replace the outer portion of the tooth. They’re used when a damaged tooth isn’t strong enough to hold together with just a filling. A crown can restore both the look and function of the tooth.
8. Habit breaking appliances:
It is normal for the children to have unhealthy oral habits which include thumb sucking, nail biting, lip biting, tongue thrusting, mouth breathing. In order to control such routines, separate appliances are manufactured. These appliances are known as habit breaking appliances.
9. Space maintainer:
They are the appliances used to maintain space or regain minor amounts of space lost so as to guide the unerupted tooth into a proper position in the arch.
10. Myofunctional appliances:
Sometimes the children need fixed treatment like orthodontics to correct their malocclusions but many a times certain jaw related treatments are needed and these malocclusions of the jaw are corrected with the help of myofunctional appliance.
Home dental care tips for children.
1. Brushing twice a day.
2. Replacing the toothbrush every 3 months.
3. Regular cleaning, that is, once in 6 months.
4. Getting a fluoride treatment to strengthen enamel and prevent cavities.
5. Eating a healthy diet.
6. Avoiding sugary foods, mostly chocolates and fizzy soft drinks.
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