Tooth decay in children

Golden curls, sparkling eyes - and rotten teeth. 20 percent of three-year-olds suffer from early childhood caries . The likelihood of suffering a tooth injury in childhood or adolescence is greater than being spared it. Tooth decay is a common dental disease in babies and toddlers and can quickly lead to severe dentition damage. Even after the first milk teeth have erupted, tooth decay can occur in infants and young children. 

Tooth decay in children is always associated with severe pain and can spread rapidly. Nevertheless, it is controversial among parents whether tooth decay is even a problem in milk teeth, since they only stay in the mouth for a limited time anyway.

The German Society for Dentistry, Oral and Maxillofacial Medicinewarns against ignoring damage in milk teeth. Because: A healthy deciduous set of teeth is an important basis for a healthy permanent set of teeth and premature tooth loss can have far-reaching consequences - for example the wrong eruption of the permanent teeth.

Small children who develop tooth decay at the tender age of three also have an increased risk of tooth decay later on . In this case, the child needs particularly intensive preventive measures. If children lose their milk teeth prematurely, it can affect their ability to chew.

Tooth decay interferes with the development of language and in the worst case scenario the infestation destroys the whole set of teeth. Poorly informed parents, poor oral hygieneand overconsumption of sweets are only part of the causes of this condition. Caries damage is not inheritable.

Causes of tooth decay in children

The cause of tooth decay in children is inadequate oral hygiene combined with a sugary diet. The sugar does not necessarily have to come from sweets, it is hidden in many foods, such as yoghurt or drinks. The sugar itself is initially completely harmless to the teeth. But it serves bacteria as a nutritional basis, on which the dental plaque form a tight film. The microorganisms process the sugar and excrete acids in the process.

These only attack the hard substance of the teeth because they demineralize them. It is therefore important for dental health to thoroughly remove the plaque or plaque on a regular basis. One problem is that tight or nested teeth make it difficult to brush your teeth thoroughly and that food scraps often get stuck. For example, tooth decay can develop in children despite brushing their teeth.

If the toothbrush does not remove the plaque optimally, the plaque bacteria produce acids in the plaque after an average of 24 to 48 hours . Holes occur because these acids attack the hard enamel. They decalcify it by dissolving minerals and are the reason for the onset of tooth decay in milk teeth.

The longer the demineralization continues, the more likely it is that the acid will also attack the dentin and the bacteria will penetrate the inside of the tooth . It is particularly painful when the tooth supporting structure and the tip of the root become inflamed and abscesses form. Then the teeth rot from the inside.

This is what tooth decay looks like in milk teeth

The early stages of tooth decay in young children are indicated by white or brownish stains on their teeth. This so-called initial caries lesion is a sign of decalcification of the milk teeth, which is caused by oral bacteria. The enamel loses stored minerals, which can be seen as white chalk stains on the surface.

If the dentist recognizes the descaling process at an early stage, he can slow it down with intensive fluoride treatment and even stop tooth decay in small children. He tries to introduce new minerals into the damaged milk tooth. If fluoride is applied in the form of varnish to the affected areas in the milk teeth, it can accelerate the remineralization of the milk teeth.

Deciduous teeth attacked by caries turn brown-black

Tooth decay in children can already occur in milk teeth and is shown by brownish-black spots

Stop tooth decay in children

If a hole has already form in the milk tooth due to caries attack, fluoride treatment is no longer sufficient. To stop tooth decay in children, dentists need to remove rotten areas and destroyed tooth tissue with a drill or laser and plug the holes. Alternatively, it may be sufficient to cover infected teeth with a metal cap to cut off the bacteria from the sugar supply. This prevents the tooth decay from spreading any further.

The assumption that deciduous teeth affected by caries are not a problem because they fall out after a while is wrong! Smaller children are usually not prepared to undergo extensive treatments, but the dentist treats tooth injuries at least in such a way that no additional damage occurs to the permanent teeth that are still in the jawbone. The aim is to keep the milk tooth as long as possible .

The development of the teeth is essential for language formation and the ability to chew. The dentist only removes milk teeth early in an emergency. The consequences for the development of the dentition and the permanent teeth are minor, but should be avoided.

What can be done to prevent tooth decay in children?

Rules such as "always brush your teeth after eating and after consuming sweets" or "do not eat sweets" are unrealistic and unnecessary. Teeth and gums stay healthy if parents and children follow a few rules and apply them consistently.

Oral hygiene and brush your teeth

Daily oral hygiene for toddlers and babies should begin with the first milk tooth. There are special toothbrushes for small teeth so that no damage occurs in the oral cavity. The Landesarbeitsgemeinschaft Jugendzahnpflege in Hessen (LAGH) recommends brushing milk teeth immediately after breakfast and after dinner. After brushing their teeth in the evening, children should not eat or drink anything other than mineral water or water to keep their teeth clean. As a rule of thumb, parents should brush their children's teeth roughly until they can write.

From the eruption of the first milk tooth to the eruption of the first permanent tooth, children should use toothpaste with a low fluoride concentration (0.05 percent = 500ppm), which removes bacteria from the tooth surface and prevents inflammation of the gums. Thereafter, toothpaste with 1,000 ppm fluoride should be used until the permanent teeth appear. First of all, parents up to the age of two should brush once a day with a fluoride-containing toothpaste. If you want to brush twice a day, simply divide the amount of toothpaste.

Interview: "Help, my child doesn't want to brush their teeth!"

For many babies, brushing their teeth still works quite well, but at the latest in the so-called defiance phase it often becomes a struggle. Children's dentist Johanna Kant from Oldenburg explains how the toothbrushing routine can be stress-free.

What can parents of toddlers under the age of three do when the drama of brushing their teeth is the order of the day?

It makes sense to approach the problem creatively and strongly ritualize brushing your teeth. It helps children to know what is coming. For example, parents can always sing a certain song or tell the same toothbrushing story every evening. What also helps is first of all to let the child brush their teeth independently, while mom and dad clean their own teeth. Then the parents can admire the child's teeth and brush them again.

Does it help children of kindergarten age to explain in full detail why mom has to brush their teeth now?

Since the ability to use and understand language is not fully developed in toddlerhood, detailed explanations are not of much help. Young children only have short attention spans. They accept ritualized actions much better.

What can parents do if their child is in the middle of a defiant phase?

Almost all children go through this phase in which they absolutely want to do everything on their own. It is important to maintain an inner demeanor. The child should be taught that there are things that simply have to be done. Whether it's changing a diaper, buckling up in the car or brushing your teeth.

At the end of the day in particular, toddlers are often very tired and overwhelmed. Is there a perfect time for the evening tooth brushing routine?

Sometimes it makes sense to postpone thorough teeth cleaning until the little ones are not completely overtired. Then it is enough just to clean quickly just before going to sleep. There are toothbrushes on the market that brush from three sides at the same time thanks to the special arrangement of the brushes. This also saves time.

 

 

 

What do parents do when singing and persuading doesn't help?

Parents should do exactly what they do when their child is in the diaper and needs to be changed. Or if they want to play outside in sub-zero temperatures without a jacket. Explain briefly and get down to business with a clear attitude. If parents notice that they are stressed themselves, it can help to take a short break. In this way everyone comes to rest and can start again a little later.

What is the best position for parents to brush up on?

It is important to find a posture in which the child feels comfortable and secure and the parents have a good view of their teeth. This is often the case in a lying position. On the changing table, couch or bed.

At what age do stories about Karius and Baktus make sense and are understood by the children?

Stories about brushing your teeth are helpful at any age. For the youngest, the stories should be short and simple. Older children also understand longer, age-appropriate stories well. It is important that they do not create a fear of going to the dentist. Something through statements like: "If you don't brush, the dentist has to drill."

Up to what age do parents still have to clean their children? Until around their eighth birthday, mom and dad are responsible for the dental care of their children. In children whose fine motor skills develop a little later, even longer. As a small memory aid: If you can write beautifully in cursive, you can brush your teeth on your own.

Saliva as protection

The most important natural protective system against tooth decay in young children is saliva. By washing the milk teeth, it ensures their regeneration, repair and hardening. But the saliva also needs regeneration time, i.e. phases in which the teeth do not come into contact with sugar again.

Kindergarten children need around 16 hours of saliva regeneration time per day. Twelve hours of sleep and an additional four hours a day. The LAGH recommends that you do this in the morning, when your teeth are cleanly brushed after breakfast. With this rhythm, the saliva can compensate for attacks on the teeth for about eight hours. Vigorous chewing on black bread, carrots or apples also stimulates the formation of saliva. This offsets even small amounts of the sugars naturally occurring in food.

If so, then nibble properly

Proper nutrition is extremely important for a healthy child's smile. Crunchy fruit, fresh vegetables and firm bread strengthen milk teeth. Sweets and sweetened drinks, on the other hand, provide a breeding ground for bacteria and promote tooth decay. However, toddlers do not have to completely do without sugary foods. With the right tricks, you can enjoy the sweets - and that is gentle on your teeth.

Children who like to eat chocolate, candy or ice cream should hit hard at the first ravenous hunger attack and enjoy the candy. The teeth can cope with a whole bar of chocolate all at once more easily than spreading out many small pieces over the course of the day. Because: When it comes to tooth decay, it does not depend on how much sugar we have eaten, but on how often.

 

Every time we eat even a small amount of sugar, the oral bacteria also use it. You can then produce the harmful acid for at least half an hour, almost regardless of the amount of sugar actually consumed. In order to prevent tooth decay, it is therefore worth reducing the number of sugary snacks between meals, such as a sip of cola, iced tea or juice, cookies or a piece of candy.

Fruits, juices, and soft drinks contain acids that also damage teeth. Therefore, after healthy snacks like an apple or a glass of orange juice, do not brush your teeth directly, but wait half an hour until the saliva neutralizes the acids and the tooth enamel has hardened again.

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