PREVENTION OF TOOTH DECAY

In November 2008, the Ontario Dental Association (ODA) officially declared tooth decay an infectious disease. The report showed that all children are at risk for tooth decay and urged parents, the government, and the community to work together on prevention.

Children are particularly vulnerable and suffer from this disease at an alarming rate. Tooth decay can be transmitted by licking a pacifier, sharing a spoon, or kissing. The ODA truly believes that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Dental caries is a serious disease but is preventable in almost all cases. The following tips were compiled by the ODA for parents.

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Various factors can cause tooth decay in children, adversely affecting their oral health. These include the presence of bacteria in the mouth, the consumption of sugary and starchy food items, frequent snacking, and poor oral hygiene.

In the initial stages, tooth decay does not show any symptoms, but as it advances, it leads to severe oral complications and becomes more difficult to treat.

1. Before your baby has teeth, wipe the gums gently with a clean, wet cloth after each feeding.
2. If your baby sleeps with a bottle or sippy cup at naptime or bedtime, fill it with water only.
3. If your baby normally falls asleep while feeding, brush his or her teeth before feeding.
4. Lift your baby’s lip and watch for changes in color, lines, or spots on your child’s teeth, as these may be signs of potential problems.
5. As soon as the first tooth appears, start brushing your baby’s teeth with fluoride toothpaste in the morning and before bedtime. Fluoride is a mineral that protects teeth.
6. Put a small dab of toothpaste across a small, soft brush. Wipe off excess toothpaste until the child can spit it out. Begin flossing at least once a day when your child’s teeth are touching.
7. Change your child’s toothbrush every one to three months or immediately after an illness.
8. Let your child watch you brushing your teeth and assist your child’s tooth brushing.
9. To prevent spreading germs that cause tooth decay, do not put anything in your child’s mouth if it has been in your mouth. Don’t share spoons, cups, food, toothbrushes, etc.
10. Visit your dentist by the age of one year or when the first teeth appear. Take your child to the dentist for regular checkups to make sure there are no problems.

Tooth decay can be prevented by maintaining good oral hygiene, switching to a healthy diet instead of sugary or starchy food items, and increasing water intake. However, if decay reaches the pulp or center of the tooth, it can no longer be treated at home and requires professional dental help.

Sometimes, pediatric dentists must extract the infected tooth if the decay extends past the gumline. That’s why it should be treated in the early stages to preserve the original teeth.

There are various treatments available for tooth decay in children that effectively remove the cavities and restore their oral health, including:

If a cavity has not reached the gumline, it can be treated through professional fluoride treatment. In this process, the dentist applies gels, varnish, or foam with a high fluoride concentration.

These contain much more fluoride than toothpaste or mouthwash and are applied using a swab, brush, or trays. Fluoride makes tooth enamel more resistant to decay and acids. It also helps rebuild healthy minerals that prevent or slow the progression of decay.

Dental fillings are the most common and widely preferred tooth decay treatment for children. Dentists remove the cavities and fill the infected area with tooth-colored fillings.

There are various types of fillings, but composite and porcelain fillings are the most common, as they blend well with natural teeth and do not affect dental aesthetics.

Dental crowns are an excellent option to stop the spread of decay. Children’s teeth are relatively weaker, with a thinner enamel layer, making them more susceptible to infection. Crowns save the decayed tooth and prevent the spread of infection to adjacent teeth. They also restore the size, shape, and function of the tooth.

Root canal treatment is necessary if decay reaches the innermost layer of the tooth. This procedure removes the damaged nerve and fills the space with a dental material. Root canals effectively treat deep decay and also serve as support for future restorations such as veneers, dentures, or bridges.

If decay exceeds the gumline, the tooth is no longer treatable and must be extracted. In such cases, extraction is the only option to prevent the spread of infection. Pediatric dentists typically use sedation to make the procedure painless. The extracted tooth may be replaced with artificial alternatives, such as dentures, bridges, or implants.

A cavity is a hole that forms on the surface of a tooth. Cavities are caused when sugars from food and bacteria in the mouth mix, producing acids that erode the enamel.

To help prevent cavities, a dentist or hygienist can apply a hard coat of resin called a sealant to the chewing surfaces of your child’s molars. This coating fills the pits and grooves of the teeth, acting as a barrier between the tooth and decay-causing acids.