The importance of going to the dentist for adults and few of the same for children is talked about many times. A mistake made due to lack of information. According to Dr. Jorge Giner , oral and maxillofacial surgeon and dentist at the Maternal Center, some guidelines must be followed so that the smallest of the house enjoy correct dental health, avoiding future problems.
Lactation
«Breastfeeding, in general, is essential for oral development, in addition to providing the baby with security and pleasure. Here, as in other areas, breastfeeding is superior to formula milk in terms of oral development “, explains the expert. “ Nipple sucking is the best exercise for the growth and development of the mouth, in fact, it has been proven that breastfed children have fewer malocclusions than bottle-fed children from the beginning. Or put another way, they will need less orthodontic treatment in the future.
Some of the reasons why breastfeeding is abandoned is due to having “a short lingual frenulum, in which case,” the doctor explains, “ a simple intervention with a few drops of topical anesthesia by a maxillofacial surgeon can quickly solve the problem. ».
Another of the consequences of the use of the bottle on oral health is the dreaded rampant or bottle caries. «To avoid this you have to try not to use the bottle as a pacifier and not get used to sleeping with it. If you have this habit, make sure it only contains water or clean your teeth well after taking it. Never dip the pacifier in honey or sugar ».
As for the pacifier, although in general it is not recommended, it can help to fulfill some formative or emotional function. Its use is preferable, of course, to thumb-sucking, with far worse effects on the development of the mouth and face. In any case, the use of the pacifier should be abandoned before the age of 2 years as, if not, it can cause important malocclusions (alterations in the bite) in the future adult. The pediatric dentist will guide the abandonment of this and other sucking habits ».
Stage of milk teeth
“Baby teeth (so called because until the bottle came the normal thing was to suckle for years) begin to appear in the mouth around the sixth month , usually the lower central incisors, and we should not be overwhelmed if it takes a month longer.” As the expert explains, “with the teeth coming out, the baby will be irritable, drool and put objects in his mouth. We can soothe it by rubbing the gums with a finger or gauze. Also, giving him a teether, preferably cold.
According to the dentist, “your care is very important since a mouth without cavities in childhood is related to a healthy mouth in adults.” “In addition, he continues, the primary teeth play an important role in chewing , in the development of orofacial and maintain the space for the permanent teeth to be correctly positioned in the mouth when they emerge.”
It is very important to remember that when the caries is already visible by the parents, it usually means that we have arrived late for a superficial filling and we will have to carry out deeper treatments, which involve dental anesthesia . To avoid this, Jorge Giner points out, «you should start cleaning your teeth, at least twice a day, from when the first comes out. At first with a thimble or gauze, from the year on with a child brush, with soft bristles. Let us always control their cleaning because until they are 5 years old they do not have enough skill to do it effectively. “Pediatric dentists will always advise on what type of paste to use and in what quantity, depending on age and risk of cavities.”
Definitive teeth
Tooth enamel, which is the hardest tissue in the body, is the natural barrier against cavities and fluoride, a perfect ally that strengthens it. «Its topical application by a pediatric dentist, explains the expert, when indicated, is an ideal tool to protect the child’s tooth from caries . But, be careful, its excess in the intake can, paradoxically, weaken the teeth. Certain mineral waters with a high content of fluoride or making an effort to supplement the diet with this element can be detrimental to dental development in children ”.
Other circumstances that can alter children’s oral health “is when the child breathes badly through the nose , when they have to be treated with antibiotics for a long time or when they have chronic bad breath. In these cases, the dentition and oral development can be altered, so we must consult in this regard.
What to do if the child has lost a tooth from a blow? «If the tooth is milk, it is never reimplanted, it will consult the dentist but without special care of the tooth. But a detached permanent tooth must be immediately placed in milk. If we do not have it, in a few drops of isotonic drink or, in the worst case, under the tongue, inside the child’s mouth . You must go to the dentist as quickly as possible because minutes count for the success of the reimplantation.
And, fundamental is “that parents take their children every six months to the pediatric dentist, not only to treat possible problems but also to avoid dental problems when they are older
