24 Aug 2022 Taking care of our precious teeth is very important, and it becomes even more vital when it comes to the dental health of our children.
As children are growing, so are their teeth; and in this growing age, giving special attention to their dental well-being ensures that their teeth are free from any kind of decay and cavities.
Children often tend to consume more sugar than adults, which deteriorates their teeth quality and makes their teeth more vulnerable to damage.
Without a strong and healthy set of teeth, the overall physical growth of the children becomes practically impossible.
According to the report “Australia’s Oral Health Tracker”, published by the Australian Dental Association (ADA) and Australian Health Policy Collaboration (AHPC), more than a third of Australia’s children suffer from primary tooth decay as early as 5-6 years of age, most of which remain untreated.
It is therefore a very essential part of parenting to keep a check on your kid’s dental comfort and growth.
Apart from regular brushing and cleaning, there are a wide variety of pediatric dental procedures that can help in protecting the child’s teeth from an early stage.
Here is a list of a few of the most common ones that parents can opt for:
Dental Filling
It is a very common procedure whereby the dentist numbs the infected tooth and extracts the damaged portions. This is followed by dental drilling, which is afterward filled a material of choice.
Dental Crowns
Large cavities that are too big might require to be covered with dental crowns. They are perfect for teeth that are cracked, weakened, or severely damaged.
Dental Clean-ups
Getting your child’s teeth regularly checked and cleaned by the dentist is always a precautionary method to prevent any worse kind of cavity or decay from taking place.
Cleaning children’s teeth routinely help prevent the accumulation of plaque on their dental surfaces, which might later get converted to tartar. It takes care of the child’s oral hygiene properly.
Sealants
Children often find it difficult to reach the back of their molars while brushing their teeth. Consequently, there is always a possibility of a build-up of cavities.
Hence, dentists use sealants, a thin plastic coating, usually on the surface of the pre-molars and molars, to help block any kind of plaque and acid formation on the hard-to-reach teeth surface.
Braces
When the positioning of the teeth inside the jaw becomes a struggle for the child, it is one of the wisest options to go for braces.
The orthodontist examines the teeth structure carefully and decides to go for the type of braces that best suits the need.
Braces may cause a bit of discomfort initially, but adjusts with the teeth within a short span of time. When the teeth are re-positioned satisfactorily, the braces can be easily removed without any pain.
X-rays
Going for dental X-rays is a good way to keep a tab of your child’s interior mouth. Low-intensity radiations help in imaging the interiors of the mouth and identify hidden problems like cavities and gum diseases.
While x-rays are a good way to uncover hidden dental problems, exposure to too much radiation is undesirable and unhealthy in the long run.
Fluoride Treatments
These treatments help in preventing the teeth from any kind of bacterial activities or sugar and plaque formation.
A certain quantity of fluoride in the form of gel, foam, solution, or varnish is applied to the teeth by the dentist, which helps in keeping the teeth healthy.
It helps in improving the teeth enamel by aiding in the uptake of important minerals like calcium and phosphates. Also, it helps in prolonging the life of the baby tooth.
Night Guards
People often unknowingly develop a condition called “Bruxism”, wherein they clench their teeth against each other, mostly while they are asleep.
It is a serious condition, which can have severe impacts like broken, cracked, or even lost teeth.
Dentists custom-make the night guards to fit the child’s teeth and jaws comfortably, on both upper and lower sets.
It is a non-invasive procedure that prevents children and even adults from grinding their teeth against each other.
Root Canal Treatment
If your child is struggling with a cracked tooth or a diseased nerve under a permanent tooth, bacteria and other germs can thrive in it and can cause infection. In such a situation, it is best to opt for a root canalling procedure.
The dentist removes the damaged tissues, cleans them, and then seals them with a dental filling. The tooth is then restored with a crown to make it lost longer, maybe even for the entire lifetime, if taken care of properly.
Veneers
Teeth gaps, chips, stains, or injuries can be real trouble for children. Veneers are the perfect solutions that help correct these dental faults, with minor adjustments.
Veneers are thin, customized shells made from materials that resemble the original teeth colors like porcelain, which are made to cover the front side of the teeth.
They boost the child’s confidence level by giving them the perfect smile.
Bonding
This procedure helps those who have minor discoloration or slightly chipped teeth. During bonding, a white-colored filling is put on the teeth, whose shade closely resembles that of the original teeth.
The filling gets bonded to the teeth and gives an absolutely natural-looking appearance.
Bonding is a relatively cost-effective procedure, however, it requires special care to prevent it from getting stained or broken.
Spacer
At times, primary teeth fall off much before the permanent teeth underneath it is ready to erupt. In such a situation, the adjacent teeth have a tendency to shift to the vacant space.
This causes a problem, as when the permanent tooth comes out, it gets crooked or ill-placed due to the crowding in its original place.
Putting spacers in the tooth gap helps correct this problem by holding the vacant space and preventing the adjacent teeth from blocking the space. When the permanent tooth starts erupting, the spacers are removed.
With so many pediatric dental procedures in line, the need to worry about your child’s dental health is almost over. Keeping a regular check of your child’s oral hygiene and routinely taking dental appointments is all it takes to give your child the best dental protection.