Common Dental Care for kids in early stage for better oral care

Cavities

A cavity develops when a tooth or part of a tooth gets infected with bacteria and breaks down. It develops a hole that can grow bigger and deeper as it progresses. The three main factors involved in tooth decay are: the tooth, carbohydrates or sticky foods and plaque or bacteria. A combination of these factors leads to the formation of cavities.

It is very important to detect a cavity as soon as possible, as tooth decay spreads very rapidly in children. It can be easily detected by the parents by looking in the child’s mouth in good day light. Decay is seen as a black or brown spot on the tooth.

The American Academy of Paediatric Dentistry currently recommends that all children have their first preventive dental visit by age one. The reason? Early dental visits will reduce the risk of your child developing cavities. This leads to improved oral health throughout childhood, and reduces oral health costs.

Baby Bottle Tooth Decay

Baby bottle tooth decay (also called early childhood caries, nursing caries, and nursing bottle syndrome) occurs when a baby's teeth are in frequent contact with sugars from liquid carbohydrates, such as fruit juices, milk, formula, or any other sweet drink. Human breast milk can cause tooth decay, as well. As these liquids break down in the mouth into simple sugars and are allowed to sit in the mouth, bacteria start feeding on the sugars, causing tooth decay.

If left untreated, decayed teeth can cause pain and make it difficult to chew and eat. Also, baby teeth serve as "space savers" for adult teeth. If damaged or destroyed, they can't help guide permanent teeth into their proper position, possibly resulting in crowded or crooked permanent teeth.

This can be prevented by very simple habits. Do not put your baby to bed with a bottle filled with sugary liquids, and clean the child’s mouth after every feed.
Medicine Induced Dental Decay

Medicinal caries is one of the least recognized side effects of pediatric medication that contributes much of dental morbidity in infants and children. It is accepted worldwide that severe dental caries is seen in children under medication for chronic diseases, thus adding to their existing burden of illness.

Pharmaceutical preparations have a mean sugar content of 55% to make them more palatable and to mask the unpleasant taste of drugs. Unfortunately, sugar is considered to be the arch criminal of dental caries.

Prevention Syrups that use xylitol as a sweetener (that is far less caries inducing) should be opted for. And the child should gargle with water after taking the medicine.