Children's Dental Treatment

Baby Teeth (Primary Teeth)

   Even though baby teeth are the teeth that we describe as temporary, they are extremely important because they provide chewing and speaking functions, support the development of the jaw and face, and ensure that the permanent teeth erupt in the correct positions in a period when the growth and development of human life is at its highest. Early loss of baby teeth in a possible situation will bring many problems. Due to the gap caused by the lost tooth, the adjacent tooth will move towards it, and since the underlying tooth cannot find a place in the mouth, it will either remain semi-impacted or come out in a different position from its normal place. This will lead to narrowness of the jaw, crowding and a more complex orthodontic requirement in permanent dentition. For this reason, every individual should consult to the dentist regularly for the purpose of control from the first appearance of the teeth in the mouth. 

What Can Be Done to Protect Baby Teeth in Babies?

   Babies cannot maintain their own oral hygiene because their motor skills are not developed. In this case, parents have to fulfil this duty for them. Parents can help protect the baby teeth by wiping around the baby tooth once or twice a day with a gauze bandage or damp cloth. 

   Apart from dental cleaning, nutrition is also an important point for the protection of baby teeth. The mother has responsibilities in this regard. First of all, the frequency of breastfeeding should not be too much (approximately not more than 7 meals a day). If possible, the baby should drink water after the mother's last breastfeeding, water should be the last thing the baby drinks before sleeping. Honey, jam and similar foods with high sugar content should not be placed in the bottle, and the frequency of bottle feeding should be reduced. From the age of 3, with the gradually developing motor skills, the habit of brushing teeth should be gained under parental control. The consumption of sugar-containing foods should be reduced and snacks should be consumed after normal meals and not more than 3 times a day. 

Use of Fluorine in Children

   While the teeth are mineralized, the presence of fluoride in the environment makes the teeth more resistant to acid attacks and therefore tooth decay. The use of fluorine occurs in two ways; The first is the systemic intake of fluoride with fluoridated water, milk and similar beverages and tablets, and the second is fluoride gels and varnishes that are applied to the teeth locally in the mouth by the doctor. In cases of fluorine deficiency, fluorine supplements should be taken. However, too much fluoride can cause whitish irregular spots on the front surfaces of permanent teeth (fluorosis). 

What is Fissure Sealant?

   Molars are one of the first permanent teeth that erupts in the mouth and it takes time to get into the right position. Since these teeth, which have deep indentations and protrusions, are not included in the chewing function until they reach their correct positions, there is an accumulation of food on them, and as a result of this accumulation, deep indentations that are suitable for rottenness can easily decay. Fissure sealant, which is one of the preventive dentistry applications, is a method applied to prevent this situation and to protect these teeth, which have a great role in chewing. This painless application, which is applied to the indentations on the chewing surface without abrasion of the teeth, is a very important application in preventive dentistry in terms of preventing a situation that may cause great problems in the future and cause permanent damage to the tooth tissue. 

Placeholder Applications in Child Teeth

   In the early loss of baby teeth, the teeth adjacent to the lost tooth tend to close the gap, while the tooth in the opposite jaw tends to elongate into this gap. This prevents the underlying tooth from reaching the correct position, and this may cause crowding in the permanent dentition and even cause the tooth to be semi-impacted. In order to prevent a more complex and long orthodontic treatment in the future, with the planning of the dentist in the early loss of this tooth, the application we call the placeholder, which protects the gap created by the missing tooth, takes the lower tooth into its correct position and possible problems are prevented. 

Finger Sucking Habits in Children

   Sucking habit in children is a very strong movement that causes pressure in the mouth. The child relaxes himself by sucking his fingers except feeding times. Finger sucking should be abandoned until the end of the age of 2. However, if this situation continues, the resulting suction pressure may adversely affect oral and dental health by creating negative effects on developing muscle and bone structures. If the child does not give up these habits until the age of 5, parents should intervene in this matter.