LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. –
Are baby teeth really that important? If they get cavities, do they really need a filling since they will fall out anyways?
Baby teeth provide many important functions until their permanent successors can replace them; therefore, parents are encouraged to closely monitor their children's' dental health to prevent infection.
Baby teeth provide and keep the space for the permanent tooth to erupt. When a baby tooth is lost too early, neighboring teeth will drift into that empty space blocking out the natural eruption of the permanent tooth below the gums. This can lead to an impacted tooth, a crossbite or even shifting all teeth to the side of the missing tooth. If a tooth is lost, a dentist can make a space maintainer the child wears until the permanent tooth erupts.
Infections from these teeth with cavities can cause permanent damage to their adult successors; they can inhibit nutrition and physical development, and can even keep children awake when they should be sleeping. Psychological and social health effects can also occur from infection. Psychological health areas affected include self-esteem, facial attractiveness/esthetics, social relationships, perceived quality of life, diet, speaking, and daily activities; social health areas affected include absenteeism from school, productivity in school, readiness to learn overall behavior/interactions with family, friends, and teachers.
To prevent infection, parents need to monitor their children's plaque control, regular dental visits, fluoride, sealants, and diet.
Key things for parents to remember are that they should be assisting their child when he/she brushes their teeth up until at least ages 6 or 7. The child should be brushing their teeth at minimum twice a day (morning and night). Dentists recommend small and soft bristles because harder bristles will cause damage to gums and teeth later.
It's also important to teach the child to brush using a technique that places the bristles at 45 degrees to the gums. The brushing action should be small circular strokes while avoiding the back-and-forth action the child may be prone to do.
Moreover, parents should monitor the amount of toothpaste the child uses. For children 2 and younger, only a smear of toothpaste should be used. Children 2-5 should use a small pea-sized amount. Finally, children over 6 should place a pea-sized amount on their brush.
Parents should also floss the child's teeth because young children don't have the dexterity to effectively floss. Flossing should be done at least once a day, and it's better to do at night to remove all plaque from the child's teeth before bedtime.
Regular dental visits are also a critical component to a child's overall oral health. Typically a child's first visit should be at age 1. Professional dental cleanings should be done every six months and possible more based on the child's cavity risk. During one of these dental visits, ask your dentist about sealants. Sealants, when done correctly, can be an effective tool in both permanent (adult) and primary (baby) teeth to prevent cavities. Sealants are a plastic coating applied to the pits and grooves of teeth where bacteria like to live in effort to prevent them from taking up residence in hard to clean areas.
Finally, diet is important to prevent cavities. Certain cariogenic food (cavity causing) should be avoided as much as possible. These include fermentable carbohydrates, such as sugar and acidic foods/liquids like soda and energy drinks. Children should eat foods with high sugar content with other foods. Although brushing one's teeth after consuming foods high in sugar or acidic properties is ideal for cavity prevention, simply rinsing with water can be beneficial.