There are 5 golden rules which we should follow to prevent tooth decay and gum disease
- Eat foods that have vitamins and minerals e. g. milk, fruits, vegetables,
eggs fish and meat.
- Don’t eat sweet or sticky foods between meals. bacteria love sugar.
don’t give them a chance to bore holes in your teeth. Eat sweets only at the end of a meal
so that your teeth get properly cleaned when you brush them after the meal.
- After every meal brush your teeth to remove plaque and food particles.
- Use trusted dental aids i.e. a good quality of tooth paste and tooth brush.
- Visit your dentist every six months for a routine check-up.
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| Tooth Decay |
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Tooth decay (cavities or caries) is a progressive disease that often begins in very young children. |
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Decay is a result of the interaction between bacteria that are normally on our teeth and sugars in the
everyday diet. |
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The bacteria use those sugars to produce acid. A tooth exposed to this acid will lose mineral, and that loss is
the first step toward tooth decay. |
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Your pediatric dentist can remove the decay and use modern materials such as tooth-colored or silver fillings
to restore the tooth to a healthy state. |
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If tooth damage is very severe, there may be nerve damage and a stainless steel crown might be required. |
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Your pediatric dentist is familiar with treatment techniques required by extensive tooth decay and can employ
medications that control pain and alleviate your child's apprehension about treatment. |
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Many pediatric dentists are doing research to learn how to prevent dental decay and other forms of disease. |
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Visiting a pediatric dentist early in the child's growing years can help avoid unnecessary decay and dental
treatment later.
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| Prevention |
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Pediatric dentists advise parents that regular dental care should begin by one year of age. |
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By this age, many children already have dental decay. |
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The prevention of dental disease is an important consideration during the first few visits. |
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Your pediatric dentist will discuss gum diseases and explain how to avoid them or how to minimize damage if it
already has started. |
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He/she will discuss a program of preventive home care including brushing, flossing, diet control, and the
importance of fluorides. |
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He/she also may discuss nursing decay (bottle-mouth syndrome), a pattern of decay associated with prolonged
nursing. |
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The teeth in a child who either sleeps with a bottle or who nurses frequently can develop a type of decay that
attacks quite rapidly. |
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The upper front teeth and then the upper and lower back teeth decay rapidly and all of the baby teeth may be
destroyed if the condition is not detected and corrected early enough. |
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To prevent nursing caries, pediatric dentists recommend that a child be weaned by approximately 12
months of age. |
| Decay Prevention Usuing Sealants |
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A sealant is a clear or shaded plastic material that your pediatric dentist may apply to the chewing surfaces
of the back teeth. |
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Because the back teeth have depressions and grooves on their chewing surfaces, they are difficult or
impossible to clean. |
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As you can see from the picture below, the sealant forms a coating or barrier to protect the tooth from bacteria
and bits of food. |
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By protecting the depressions and grooves with a coating of sealant, your pediatric dentist can dramatically
reduce the risk of decay for children and teens.
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| Dental Injuries In Children |
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Falls at home or on the playground and athletic injuries often cause damage to the teeth and gums. |
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Many injuries are obvious but some can be hidden. It is important to have your pediatric dentist examine
the child as soon as possible after the incident even if the wounds don't look too bad, you should go to the
dentist as soon as possible after the injury so that no teeth are lost from hidden injuries beneath the gums.
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Prompt treatment often can help stop later bite problems. |
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Quick action often can save a tooth that has been knocked completely out of the socket! |
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