Archive for the ‘Dental Caries’ Category

Dental Caries Prevention

Prevention Dental Caries:

Caries (tooth decay) is perhaps the most common disease of children in the UK. It is caused by bacteria which act on certain foods in the mouth. Sugary foods and drinks are the worst. The combination of bacteria and food causes acids to form which can slowly dissolve the teeth. If this happens, a filling may be needed. If it is left untreated, the tooth may decay further and need to be removed.Dental caries in children’s permanent teeth declined from the early 1970s until the mid 1990s. Significant disparities are found in some population groups. Tables 5 through 8 present selected caries estimates in permanent teeth for children aged 2–11 years and for selected subgroups.

Brushing teeth:

Encourage children to brush their teeth at least twice a day. Start as soon as the first tooth develops in infancy so that you and your child get into a habit. Many children don’t like their teeth being brushed at first. However, it is possible to make it into a game when first started. Do persist as it is very important to develop this habit.By the age of 3 or 4 children can often clean their own teeth (under supervision). A fluoride toothpaste is recommended.

Foods:

As far as possible, limit sugary foods and drinks between meals. If you children have sweets, it may be better to eat them all at once as a snack rather than spread them over several hours. Try fruit or raw vegetables as snacks instead. If you child needs medicine, sugar-free medicines are best if they are available.

Fluoride:

Fluoride is a chemical that is found naturally in water in very low concentrations. It helps to protect teeth against caries. Some areas have fluoride added to the water supply. This has greatly reduced tooth decay in those areas. It is worth finding out if your area is a fluoride area (your dentist will know). If not, your dentist may advise fluoride drops.

Dental checks:

It is worth getting your child used to dental check-ups from an early age. A check up every 6-12 months is best. In some areas, particularly where there is no fluoride in the water supply, a ‘sealant’ can be placed in the crevices at the back of the teeth by a dentist. This helps protect the teeth from caries and tooth decay. It is 6-7 year olds who may benefit most. A dentist will advise about this.

More Prevention Dental Caries In Children:

There has been remarkable progress in the reduction of tooth decay in the U.S. over the past 30 years. Nevertheless, dental caries continues to be a significant problem for many children. Dental caries continues to be the most common infectious disease of childhood.During the past few decades, changes have been observed in the prevalence and distribution of dental caries in the population. This disease is endemic in specific sectors of the population, especially the economically disadvantaged. Some children seem to have a mouthful of cavities, while other children have beautiful teeth. Eighty percent of the dental caries is found in only 25 percent of the children. More than half of all children in the U.S. have dental caries by the second grade of school. By the age of 17, approximately 80% of young people have had a dental cavity.Dental caries is an infectious, communicable disease, which causes destruction of teeth by acid-forming bacteria found in dental plaque. The most important concept to remember is that caries is a dynamic disease process, and not a static problem. Secondly, before a cavity is formed in the tooth, the caries infection can actually be reversed!Caries progression or reversal is determined by the balance between protective and pathological factors in the mouth. The development of dental caries is a dynamic process: Demineralization of the hard dental tissue by the acidic products of bacterial metabolism – alternating with periods of remineralization.

Care Prevention Dental Caries:

Do not regenerate destroyed dental structure, but it may halt the progression of the disease, restoring the tooth and prevent complications.Basically, the work of the dentist is to remove the material affected by the bacteria using a dental bur or drill, but has also incorporated the use of laser. Then the tooth is rebuilt with the help of metal alloys, or porcelain or composite resin, whose appearance resembles that of the piece.However, when the cavity is very large and healthy tooth structure is limited, you must remove the damaged part and then put a cover or “cap” (crown) on the portion of the tooth that remains. Such structures are usually made of gold, porcelain or porcelain fused to metal.If the infection has caused the death of the nerve of the tooth, practice endodontics.This procedure is to eliminate not only the affected portion of the tooth, but also the nerve and internal tissue (pulp), then filled the room and you can place a crown when necessary.Usually the appropriate treatments are not painful, but in serious and sensitive individuals may require anesthesia for pain relief during or after surgery.Oral hygiene is essential. First, you should brush their teeth at least twice a day and use thread or dental floss at least once during the same period. It is also recommended the use of mouthwash with antibacterial agents.Do not eat food for at least half an hour after the dental cleaning.It is advisable to undergo a thorough cleaning process every six months with the dentist.Some experts advise taking radiographs each year to detect possible cavity development.