Before examining a child, we need to establish good contact with the child. Establishing dialogue with the child and talking about subjects which may be of interest for the child would be beneficial for getting to know him/her, and help him/her understand that the dentist is actually not somebody to be afraid of. When children with their parents when parents are being treated, they accept their treatment more easily when time comes for them, as they are already familiar with the dentist. It is very important for acceptance and success of the treatment that the child is familiar with, likes and trusts the dentist. Another issue bothering children is uncertainty. Not knowing what will be done, or the fear of something being done by deceiving. At this point, it is very important that the dentist truthfully tells what will be done, selecting words that will not make him/her anxious, and not say anything to deceive him/her.
What are parents’ duties to ensure that their children have healthy teeth?
Babies start to have first baby teeth in 6th month, and 20 baby teeth are completed until the age of 2-3. As the baby teeth appear, mother should clean the baby’s teeth with cotton or gauze bandage. Nursing the baby at night with feeding bottle, and not cleaning the teeth thereafter, which is frequently seen, may result in decays in baby teeth called feeding bottle decays, caused by the sugar in the milk. What’s more, adding honey or sugar in the milk would boost the creation of decays. Children should start brushing their teeth at the age of 1.5 - 2. Children should start brushing their teeth by watching you first. That would not be enough, and parents should brush the child’s teeth yourself. Children should visit dentist twice a year, from the age of 2, even if they have no such problem. Early loss of baby teeth would cause teeth array to be uneven. When children reach the age of 6, permanent teeth start to appear. After the initial permanent teeth, tooth number 6, that is the first big molar tooth, is very prone to being decayed, because there are plenty of ripples, indents on the teeth as it is not grinded yet, and if the child does not adequately brush his/her teeth, and consumes sugary and food too much. Protective fissure sealant on permanent molar and premolar teeth is an easily applied treatment, but there should not be any decay or filling on the teeth. Another protective approach is fluorine, which is quite simply applied in a couple of sessions, aiming at increasing the endurance of teeth. If there is any decay in baby teeth, child will already have pain and alert his/her parents. They should be treated. Sometimes families ask “It’s already baby teeth, and it will drop, why treat it?” It surely needs filling, otherwise the child would have pain, his/her nutrition would be impaired, and the mouth would have an ugly image. Decay may progress and cause infection in root apex, and damage the pattern of permanent teeth below, which may require extraction of the tooth earlier than the proper age. Early loss of baby teeth may cause permanent teeth to be uneven. Consequently, if baby teeth is extracted in an early stage, apparatus called space maintainer may be used, which is easily acceptable for children.
From the age of 6 thru 12, children have both baby teeth and permanent teeth in their mouth. During these ages; baby teeth fall and permanent teeth form, in a magnific sequence. This is the time when parents are most concerned. Gaps between appearing teeth, and irregular appearance of teeth, may cause concerns of unevenness for parents. There is generally no need to be concerned. It may be followed-up, and orthodontic treatment may be considered at the age of 10-12.
In brief, children are prone to decay in baby teeth, as they consume too much of sugary and floury food, and brush their teeth inadequately, and ripples on permanent teeth are available for accumulation of food. Dentist should check their teeth twice a year.
