Caries in children

Caries in children is becoming an increasingly common problem, affecting preschool and school-aged children, but increasingly infants as well. Caries in children is a serious problem that parents often underestimate. What causes caries in children? How does it manifest itself and how can it be effectively treated?

Caries in children

Causes of caries in children

Caries in children, as well as in adults, occurs due to insufficient oral hygiene. If brushing teeth is a daily activity for adults, then children have no one to take an example from. Oral hygiene should be monitored even in childhood, before teething, by washing the gums with a gauze or cotton pad soaked in water or herbal infusion. Over time, teach your child and instill in him the habit of brushing his teeth regularly. Children whose baby teeth are poorly mineralized than permanent teeth are much more susceptible to the bacteria that cause cavities. Caries in children is also often the result of improper nutrition of the child. Harmful habits, such as feeding the baby at night, allowing the baby to fall asleep with a bottle, giving the baby food rich in sugar and carbohydrates - all this contributes to the development of cariogenic bacteria. An important cause of caries in children is also the lack of systematic dental care.

Symptoms of caries in children

Caries in children at the initial stage is often invisible. At the heart of this disease is demineralization of enamel, which leads to a carious defect. The first symptom you should pay attention to is the appearance of a sticky white-yellow plaque that sticks tightly to the baby's teeth. In the next stage of tooth decay in children, a dull, rough white spot or band appears, which is very easy to see because it is different from healthy enamel. At this stage, caries will continue to develop if proper dental hygiene and treatment is not carried out. The thin and decalcified layer of enamel begins to darken and break down, causing a carious cavity. In this case, the inflammation can even become painful, especially when chewing food. This phase of caries in children requires the intervention of a dentist, a drill and a filling.

Methods of treatment of caries in children

The method of treating caries in children depends on its stage. In the initial phase, when the enamel is covered with carious spots, it is enough to carry out fluoridation at the dentist and brush the teeth with a paste containing fluoride. Fluoride treatment consists in applying a special drug to the teeth that protects the enamel from bacteria, supports the recovery process and improves the condition of the enamel. When caries in children has already started and is combined with large caries, the treatment method is selected individually. Most often, it consists in removing mechanically damaged tissues and filling the tooth with a filling. You can also impregnate the teeth by soaking the teeth affected by caries in a solution of silver nitrate, which inhibits the development of caries. Sometimes it happens that caries in children is so advanced that a tooth has to be removed, which can later affect the occurrence of an incorrect bite in children.

Prevention of caries in children

Dental treatment can often be painful, and above all, tooth decay in children is unsightly and can affect future dental health. Therefore, it is very important to prevent caries in children, which should begin even before the appearance of the first teeth. The most important rules to avoid caries on our child's teeth are regular visits to the dentist, brushing the teeth at least twice a day and rinsing them with water after each meal, also for babies, giving the child unsweetened drinks, giving the child a lot of vegetables and fruits containing vitamins A, C, and D, and don't lick the pacifier or teaspoon before giving it to your baby.