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Pediatric Dentistry (Pedodontics)
Pedodontics
Pediatric Dentistry
Pediatric dentistry is a branch of science that examines and solves problems related to oral and dental health in the period from birth to the end of adolescence. It is defined as pedodontics in dentistry.
Pediatric dentistry is a branch of science that examines and solves problems related to oral and dental health in the period from birth to the end of adolescence. It is defined as pedodontics in dentistry. The dental system also goes through different periods in the period between the eruption of the baby teeth and the eruption of the permanent teeth. It is a branch of science that includes different applications such as following tooth eruption disorders and preventing them, applying treatment in deciduous teeth and cavities in permanent teeth, protecting the edentulous areas that will occur as a result of early tooth extraction by applying different appliances to prevent deterioration, and applying prostheses in children born without teeth.
Pediatric Dentistry
At what age does pediatric dentistry treat patients?
Children in the 0-15 age group are included in the working area of pediatric dentistry. In children at this age, the edentulous period covers a long period, including the period when the primary teeth erupt, the period when the milk teeth are completed in the mouth, the mixed dentition process in which the teeth begin to erupt continuously, and the period when the permanent teeth are completed.
When do teeth erupt in children?
Teeth in children begin to erupt from about 6 months of age. This riding period may take 10-11 months for some children. It is not necessary to worry too much. From the age of 3, children have a total of 20 milk teeth in their mouths. This process, which is often met with concern for the family, is actually very normal. Permanent teeth in children start from the age of 6. Permanent teeth complete the number of teeth in adulthood until the age of 12-13. When milk teeth begin to erupt, many problems occur in the mouth. Symptoms such as an increase in the amount of saliva seen in babies, loss of appetite, deterioration in sleep patterns, pain, fever and increased instinct to bite various objects are quite common. In order to minimize these effects, it is necessary to ensure that the baby chews. For this reason, it is necessary to massage the gums and reduce the pressure. Therefore, it is recommended that the thing chewed in the mouth be cold. Toys such as cold carrots or bananas, rubber tooth rings can be used to keep the baby entertained. The important point here is that the baby should be seated upright and the baby should not be left alone during this time. Foods such as yoghurt and puree cooled in the refrigerator can have a soothing effect on the gums. Instead of lukewarm water when giving water to the baby, it is more appropriate to drink a little chilled water with a bottle. Dental gels can be used in consultation with the doctor. If these methods are not helpful, pain relievers containing paracetamol can be used.
What is Baby Bottle Caries?
Breast milk, artificial milk or formulas, which have an important place in the nutrition of babies, contain sugar as natural ingredients. In this period, sugar or honey is mixed in the food by the family to feed the baby better. If the baby takes breast milk or bottled formula before going to sleep at night, the nutrients accumulate in the mouth and remain there for a long time. Due to the sugar it contains, a suitable environment is prepared for dental caries caused by long-term contact. This is why babies who are given formula before sleep for oral cleaning attention should be paid. The best precaution that can be taken for this is to make babies drink water before sleep. For the prevention of baby bottle caries;
- The baby should be prevented from sleeping with a bottle at night.
- Sweeteners such as sugar or honey should not be added to her food or milk.
- The pacifier should not be dipped in substances such as honey or jam.
- After feeding, the baby's mouth should be cleaned with a clean cloth.
- After feeding the baby should be provided to drink water.
What are the frequency and causes of caries in children?
Çocuklarda diş çürüğü oluşma sıklığı yaklaşık olarak %80-90 arasındadır. Bunun sebepleri arasında yanlış beslenme alışkanlıkları ve ağız hijyenine dikkat edilmemesi gibi etkenler yer alır. Ayrıca çürüklerin erken dönemde gelişmesi halinde gece sütü verilmesi, bebeklere verilen yalancı emziğin bal, reçel gibi tatlı besin maddelerine batırılarak verilmesi gibi etkenlerin değerlendirilmesi gerekir. Erken yaşlarda çocuklarda diş çürüklerinin olması, diş yüzeylerinde karbonhidratların uzun süre temas etmesi neden olabilir.
Taking children to the dentist
Taking children to the dentist for the first time is an important step in life. It is extremely important to prepare an environment where children will feel comfortable in the clinic. A playground suitable for children should be created here. Although it was considered appropriate to take children to the dentist after their primary teeth erupted, today it is accepted that the first dental examination for children should be around the age of one, due to the development of baby bottle caries in the early period. It has been determined that acting in this way prevents white coat phobia in children.
What should be done to reduce dental caries in children?
Children should be assisted while brushing their teeth. It should be ensured that they brush their teeth twice a day, after breakfast and before going to bed at night. Children should be taken to the dentist at an early age and fissure sealant should be applied to their teeth to prevent caries. In order to prevent baby bottle caries, care should be taken in the use of feeding bottles. Children should be provided with fluoride. Drinking water, fluorine tablets, mouthwashes, fluoride toothpastes and applications made by the dentist should be provided with fluoride. However, it should not be forgotten that excess fluoride is harmful, and support should be obtained from the dentist in this regard. Attention should be paid to the junk food that children will eat between meals. Foods containing sugar and starch feed the bacteria that cause tooth decay. Therefore, you should pay attention to the snacks.
What are the applications made by the dentist to children?
All treatments necessary for the dental care of children are applied by the dentist. In order to create perfect oral and dental health in children, a regular pediatric dentist check should be made once every 6 months. During these visits, all kinds of problems that may threaten oral and dental health can be determined. The most important issue here is the early diagnosis and treatment of problems. Early diagnosis of these problems in children is an important factor that positively affects physical and emotional development.
During the first examination of pediatric patients, good communication should be established between the child and the mother and father. Then the patient's medical and dental history should be taken. After that, clinical and radiographic examination should be done. According to the findings, parents are informed about the treatment to be given to the child. Pediatric dentists protect milk teeth and permanent teeth in children from caries and from periodontal diseases different methods are used to protect it. These; methods such as teaching the concept of oral hygiene to children, teaching tooth brushing methods, acquiring the habit of brushing teeth, applying systemic fluoride and applying fissure sealant.
Fluoride applications: Fluoride treatments, which are the most effective form of treatment used in preventive dentistry, can be applied in healthy people, people who are prone to caries, in the treatment of sensitivity and erosion in the teeth, and in people with systemic diseases that need special care. These applications are made at intervals and rates determined according to the age of the person and the risk of caries formation.
Fissure sealants: Anatomically, there are areas where foods will stick in the recesses and protrusions on the chewing surfaces of the molars. Caries on teeth begin in areas that are difficult to clean. Fissure sealants make the surfaces in these areas of the teeth shallow, reduce the adhesion of food and create a suitable surface to facilitate brushing. After these applications, the formation of caries in the teeth % shows a decrease by 70-80.