Stages of children's oral health. To do?

 AChoonThe appearance of the first two teeth, the baby incisors, is a moment awaited by many parents. It is indicative of a major change in your children's feeding abilities. However, children's oral health does not begin at that time. It starts much earlier, even before birth.

SaludPanama.com spoke with the pediatric dentist Brenda Achon about what to do at each stage.

"The oral health of the child begins in the womb. It has been shown that there is the possibility of contagion of bacteria from mother to child, when there is any disease in the mouth, whether it is cavities or gum diseases, so it is important that the mother visit the dentist during her first months of pregnancy," highlights pediatric dentist Brenda Achon.

Children's oral health is then divided into 4 stages, which were classified in this way based on the preventive measures included in each of them. "The prevention methods or stages of children's oral health are divided into categories according to the age of the child, and seek to guide parents in the care they should take with their children's teeth in order to maintain their oral health" , explains Achon.

From 0 to 12 months: According to Achon, it is important to start cleaning the child's oral cavity before the first tooth erupts. This eliminates any remaining milk residue. This action should be carried out using a damp gauze, towel or diaper, gently rubbing the edges of the gum where the teeth, as well as the tongue and cheeks, will erupt in the future.

"It's important to remember that germs can be passed from anyone to your baby, so it's important to avoid kissing your baby on the mouth, sucking on his pacifier, or even blowing on his food. This could lead to cavities," he says.

The pediatric dentist indicates that at approximately 6 months of age the first baby tooth will erupt, which ideally should be one of the lower incisors. For those children who suffer from a lot of discomfort during this period, there are natural herbal preparations on the market that can help reduce this discomfort.

Achon specifies that around this period, food intake begins, so it is important to maintain hygiene habits. The use of a soft-bristled toothbrush with water or fluoride-free toothpaste may be incorporated.

The specialist emphasizes that the first visit to the dentist should be before the first baby tooth appears. In this way, the professional will be able to guide the parents on the care that they should take in terms of nutrition and hygiene that they should have with the child to maintain good oral health.
12 - 24 months: "The appearance of more teeth and the inclusion of more foods in the diet means greater dental care. It is important that parents help their children in cleaning their teeth, with a brush and floss, since many do not have the skill psychomotor ability to execute this process properly," highlights Achon.

The pediatric dentist also highlights that the presence of habits such as finger or pacifier will affect the position of the teeth, so it is important to remove them before two years of age.

2 - 5 years: From the age of two, the child must follow their oral hygiene habits supervised by their parents. The pediatric dentist points out that although they may be able to brush alone, it is important for parents to be aware of how they do it, and if necessary, help them.

Generally, from the age of 3, the child already has his or her primary or complete baby teeth. This consists of 20 teeth, ideally spaced, that will help the child in chewing and speaking.

Another important point is food. Achon highlights that high intake of sugars and carbohydrates can increase the propensity for cavities. Therefore, he recommends eating mostly fruits and vegetables and maintaining a balanced diet.

Likewise, it points out that habits (pacifier or finger) should be eliminated before the permanent teeth emerge, at approximately 6 years of age.

"Once the child has complete baby teeth, the placement of appliances to correct the habits could be considered, if necessary, since ideally these should have disappeared at the time of the change of teeth," he points out.

6 - 12 years: It is the stage characterized by the change of dentition. The first teeth to move, ideally, are the lower incisors. Generally during this same period the first permanent molars appear at the end of the arches.

These pieces are key in the child's final occlusion, so it is important to keep them healthy. It will be advisable for the dentist to apply pit and fissure sealants to prevent cavities in these pieces.

"Extracting loose baby teeth can be done at home. It is often a moment of great emotion for the child, since shedding a tooth means that it has grown, and it can even be a matter of status at school," he points out. the doctor.

The important thing about doing it at home, according to the specialist, is to remember that the piece must be traction or pulled vertically to avoid fractures of very thin cortical bones or tearing of the gum. If the parent does not feel capable of performing the extraction at home, and the mobility of the tooth causes the child discomfort when eating or brushing, it is preferable to go to a specialist, in this case, the dentist.

During mixed dentition, in which there are baby teeth and permanent teeth, if there are bite problems and/or crowding, orthopedic or interceptive orthodontic treatments can be performed, so that the permanent teeth come out as best as possible within the arches, with adequate occlusion.

Around age 12, the child will have changed all of his or her baby teeth for permanent teeth, and the second permanent molars will erupt.

"At this time, orthodontic treatments could be performed to achieve good dental alignment with a harmonious and stable occlusion, accompanied by good function of the temporomandibular joint," he adds.