Kids’ Dentistry

21 Jan A Prosthodontist’s View on Caring for Baby’s Teeth

Prevention Is Better Than Cure

Baby teeth are fundamentally important because they are an integral part of the growth and development of the mouth and jaws. The baby teeth are a precursor of the permanent teeth which start to appear in the mouth at about the age of 5 to 6.The permanent teeth erupt by causing the roots of the baby teeth to resorb. That is why the baby teeth become loose and it is so exciting for a young child to know that the mouse is on its way.

I see so many patients who have grown up without having the knowledge to look after the primary teeth and therefore the permanent teeth. The result is unnecessary tooth decay which needs to be treated with fillings. There is no filling in the world that will adequately restore the tooth to its original state and form. The reality is that teeth are designed to last for lifetime with proper care. The one problem that may develop is an orthodontic one in which the crooked teeth may have to be treated with definitive orthodontics. Here genetics also plays a factor.

The most important factor to emphasise to pregnant women in particular is the great advantage of breastfeeding and not the bottle. The reason for this is that the young baby’s mouth adapts to the shape and form of the mother’s breast. This close adaptation allows the muscles of the mouth to move in such a way that it enhances the normal growth and development of the jaws. This is a very important fact that most mothers don’t know about and should be greatly emphasised, certainly when the mother  is pregnant and not feeding yet. It is good to have the knowledge in anticipation.

Giving candy to a child should be a no-no. I know that this is very difficult to prevent. I see it with my grandchildren as well and they have developed cavities. The prolonged sucking of sugar sweet should be avoided. The limiting of time that the mothers exposed to sugar is important. Thus if possible after eating a sweet, the child should be encouraged to rinse with water.

Another important fact is that a young child should be watched to see that they are breathing through their nose and not the mouth. Mouth breathing is a potential problem in the growth and development of young child. An Ear Nose Throat (ENT) specialist should be consulted.

24 Jul A LOLLIPOP CAN BE EXPENSIVE

 All children love sweets. It is a fact of life. To keep them away from sweets is almost impossible. It’s part of being sociable with one’s little friends.

Let me share with you what happened to my grandson and great grandniece.

Both my daughter and niece called asking for help. They said that their children were kept up at night with toothache.

Both children are six years old, and a clinical examination on both of them revealed deciduous (baby) teeth ravaged by decay.

Deciduous teeth play a vital role in a child’s dental development. They are the precursor to permanent teeth and hold the space in the jaw for the permanent teeth to erupt from then on until the age of approximately 12. They are precious and need to be looked after appropriately.

That means regular brushing and fluoride treatment. The consumption of sugary sweets needs to be kept to a minimum. Parents have a responsibility.

Children need to be introduced to a dental office at an early age. It is suggested to bring them in regularly from the age of two just to have a ride in the chair and experience the fun. That takes the fear away and certainly encourages parents to look after their precious baby teeth.

 The only way to treat these children was with the help of conscious sedation. A specialist anaesthetist was brought into the rooms. He set up with all his dedicated equipment and was able to allow me, while each child was comfortable and sleeping, to work. I was able to do all the necessary restorative treatment to bring their mouths back to good health.

The purpose of conscious sedation is to produce a state of relaxation and pain relief using the appropriate medication to facilitate performing minor procedures.

Besides facilitating the necessary treatment, the child wakes up with no recall of the experience and no long-term fear of visiting a dentist in the future. How many people do you know who dread coming to the dentist because of being poorly handled as a child?

Both children now have healthy, decay-free mouths that need to be properly looked after from now on.

Perhaps you know of children who may need the service. Please feel free to call. We would love to help.

27 Aug The Dentist

Dr Kaplan says, “I came across this charming poem in a pamphlet which was written in 1944”

by Dorothy Gray

I used to like the dentist very much,
He really seemed to be most awfully kind;
But since one dreadful day,
I’m afraid I must say
That I’m sorry, but I’ve had to change my mind.

I’ll tell you just exactly how it happened;
I’d only been to see him just once or twice,
And I loved to sit up there
In his funny high armchair;
And a visit to the dentist seemed quite nice.

But once I had a very wobbly tooth;
I’d tried to pull it out but I just couldn’t !
And I asked him not to touch
(Though it didn’t hurt me much)
And he shook his head and promised that he wouldn’t.

So I let him have a look inside my mouth,
That he would keep his word I had no doubt;
but in spite of what he said
He grabbed the tooth instead;
And though you won’t believe me, took it out !

Now it wasn’t that I minded what he did;
If he’d warned me I’d have been quite brave, I’m sure;
But they’ll never get me there,
In that silly high armchair;
And I’ll never trust a dentist anymore !

Our relationship with our patient is based on trust.

With good ongoing dental care, your teeth should last your lifetime.

20 Aug Toddler Teeth

Teething is a painful experience not only for the young child but certainly for the parents who have to endure watching the agony and helping to provide relief. One feel so helpless trying to relieve their pain and having to endure those awful sleepless nights.

They are many housewives remedies to see one through the “agony”. Some mothers suggest rubbing brandy or whiskey over the sore gums (just enough to not make the young child into an alcoholic!).

Another alternative teething ring or a hard rusk to bite on. The good thing is that the stage passes by in due course.

Like everything in child-rearing, everything depends on the parent from feeding, bathing, changing diapers, breaking wind and so on. And so it is with teeth as well. They are precious and need looking after. Baby teeth are not to be taken casually. They fulfil a vital function in growth and development of the child. Besides being used for eating and chewing and learning how to speak, they also are fundamentally important in maintaining space for the permanent teeth to erupt.

Baby teeth are also prone to decay. It is very important to avoid having the child go to sleep with a milk bottle. This causes rampant decay known as “baby bottle syndrome”.

Prevention is better than cure. It is the parents’ responsibility to look after these baby teeth from the moment they appear in the mouth. In the early stages of tooth eruption, they can be effectively cleaned by wiping them with a gauze swab. As more teeth come into the mouth with the growth of the child, they can then be introduced to a toothbrush. Monkey see monkey do. If the child watches the parents enjoy brushing their teeth, they will want to do the same. Toothbrushing can really be fun. Make it a game and sing some songs. Cultivate an appreciation for the preciousness of beautiful teeth from an early age.

The are many children’s toothbrushes on the market and children’s toothpaste which are pleasantly flavoured. There is no particular preference in their choice. Rather it is the conscientiousness and motivation of the parent to ensure that the teeth are properly looked after from the very beginning.

Dummy and thumb sucking may well affect the milk teeth by creating a widened space between the front teeth. I recall one of my teachers saying that it is inadvisable to stop a child from dummy or thumb sucking prematurely or forcibly. They are doing so because of an emotional need and will stop in due course. It is much easier to straighten teeth than to straighten the psyche.

All too often one hears from adult patients how they were traumatised in the younger years by the dental treatment that they receive then. They remember a painful injection; a very difficult extraction; being forced into the dental chair against their will; unsympathetic dentist and parent. All of these scenarios are part of crisis management which could have been avoided had the child been taken to dentist timelessly before any problem had occurred.

Dental caries is easily detectable and should be treated promptly. More importantly though, it can be prevented and avoided with a good home care by a responsible parent. It is believed that dental decay is an infection passed from parent to child. Therefore it is inadvisable to have the parent suck on the dummy before passing it on to the child.

The first visit to the dentist should be at roundabout age 2 to 3 at which time all that is needed is the experience of the fun to ride up and down on the dental chair. It is disastrous for the parents to show fear of the dentist because that fear is contagious. The whole experience should be one of fun and excitement. Regular dental visits should become routine and hopefully the child will be able to bounce out of the chair and exclaim “look, no cavities”.