Pedodonti - Pediatric Dentistry
Pediatric dentistry, also known as pedodontics, deals with the oral and dental health of children between the ages of 0-15. It includes the toothless period of children, the period in which milk teeth erupt, the period in which milk teeth are completed in the mouth, the mixed dentition period in which teeth begin to erupt continuously, and the period in which permanent teeth are completed.
Milk teeth begin to erupt from the 6th month. When the child reaches the age of 2.5, riding is completed. However, it may occur later or earlier due to genetic factors. Teething symptoms;
* Redness, itching, swelling in the gums
* Increased salivary flow
* Desire to bite hard objects
* Loss of appetite, restlessness
can be seen as. What parents need to do here is to show interest and compassion to the baby ;
* Cleaning the baby's gums with a cold cloth
* Giving the baby cold teethers
* Allowing the baby to use pain-relieving pomades under the supervision of a dentist.
It is a big mistake to neglect the care of milk teeth with the thought that they will be replaced by new ones. Milk teeth;
proper nutrition of the child
proper development of speech
child's psychology, self-confidence and self-esteem
It is very important to clean it because it acts as a placeholder for the permanent tooth that will replace it.
When the first milk teeth begin to appear in the baby's mouth; The mother should clean the teeth after feeding with the help of a clean cheesecloth or gauze. When the child reaches the age of 1.5-2, the habit of brushing teeth should be acquired under parental control with the help of a small brush.
Brown stains, which we call 'baby bottle decay', can be seen on babies' teeth. It is common in babies who sleep with a bottle at night. To protect against baby bottle decay;
The baby's habit of sleeping with a bottle should be prevented
The baby should be given water after feeding
Sugar, honey or molasses should not be added to the milk in the bottle.
Thumb sucking is an innate reflex.
Thumb sucking and pacifier use habits can last until the age of 2-2.5. However, thumb sucking habits that persist after this age cause orthodontic problems. Thumb sucking habit should be stopped at the age of 4.5 at the latest.
When the milk tooth row is completed, there are 20 milk teeth in the mouth, consisting of 8 incisors, 4 canines and 8 molars. At the age of 6, permanent teeth begin to appear behind the milk teeth. These teeth, which we call '6-year-old teeth', are not noticed by the child and parent because there are no milk teeth on them to fall out and they are left behind, and they are prone to decay because they cannot be cleaned sufficiently.
The recesses and protrusions on these teeth are covered by the dentist by applying 'fissure sealant' and caries-causing factors are prevented from adhering to the tooth. Additionally, teeth are made resistant to decay by topical fluoride application.
It is within our power to have healthy and beautiful teeth with the tooth brushing habits acquired in childhood and the preventive treatments applied by dentists.
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 cold and hot sensitivity and mild pain, which can be seen in the early stages of caries, in a timely manner. They only realize the incident 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, the teeth become susceptible to decay due to nutritional irregularities.
A vaccine or drug that can completely prevent caries 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 from the age of 6.
Another way to prevent decay is to increase the resistance of teeth to decay. This resistance is achieved by applying superficial fluoride to the teeth.
There are 20 milk teeth in total.
It is normal for milk teeth to be spaced apart. The reason for this is to provide space for the permanent teeth that will replace them.
Decay may also occur in milk teeth. These bruises must be treated.
If milk teeth are infected, root canal treatment should be tried first, and if not possible, the tooth should be extracted.
If milk teeth are extracted prematurely, there will be no room for the permanent tooth coming from below and space will be tight.
Therefore, caries in milk teeth should be treated, and one should not make the mistake of thinking "new ones will replace them anyway".
Dental injuries in children:
In case of accidents in which children's teeth are damaged, intervention should be made without delay. Dental injuries in children can sometimes cause the permanent tooth to be completely separated 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.
Oral care in babies:
Feeding babies with breast milk for at least the first four months will ensure the normal development of soft tissue and muscle functions around the mouth. In cases where breast milk is insufficient, a bottle with a physiological cap (with a palate, with a cut end) should be used.
Babies should be accustomed to feeding with a cup and 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 can be allowed until the age of 2 - 2.5. If there is a habit of thumb sucking, 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 should teeth brushing start in children?
The cleaning process should begin when the baby is 6-8 months old (that is, when the first teeth appear in the mouth). 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.
It is appropriate to start using a toothbrush after the child's back teeth emerge (approximately 2.5 - 3 years old).
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.
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.
Once the first teeth begin to erupt, wipe their teeth with a clean, wet cheesecloth after night and morning feedings.
Is baby bottle tooth decay important?
If teeth with baby bottle tooth decay are not treated, they will become painful and infected. Inflamed or painful teeth cause the baby to become restless and disrupt the feeding pattern. Inflammation with the permanent tooth coming from below
