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Early caries Even milk teeth need to be thoroughly cleaned
Healthy baby teeth are very important for children. Among other things, these help to learn the language, ensure that the jaw grows properly and that the permanent dentition develops well. It is therefore important to start regular and thorough oral hygiene in children as early as possible. Experts explain how the milk teeth are best cared for and what parents should look out for.
Lack of dental care can have nasty consequences
Dentists emphasize again and again how important a thorough dental care is in infancy. Because the milk teeth are not properly maintained, which can have serious consequences for the healthy development of the child, such as subsequent malocclusions, growth or speech disorders, the Federal Dental Association explained in a press release.
Parents should look after their babies for regular and thorough oral hygiene to prevent tooth decay. (Image: Monkey Business / fotolia.com) Tooth decay by sweetened drinks from Nuckelflaschen
However, many parents do not take their children's dental care seriously enough. "It is a sad fact that in Germany among the under-three-year-old children already 15 percent are affected by tooth decay," said Prof. Dr. med. Dietmar Oesterreich, Vice President of the Federal Dental Association. The infantile caries affects all sections of the population, but especially often families in difficult social situations, adds the expert. Accordingly, the infantile caries is caused by the combination of excessive drinking of sugary and acidic beverages e.g. from nipple bottles, and lack of oral hygiene in early childhood.
Tooth loss favors later misalignments
If a tooth is so damaged that it must fail early or be pulled, has the consequences for the healthy growth of permanent teeth, explains Darjusch Haßfurther, dentist in the juvenile dental service of the City of Oldenburg, in conversation with the "NWZ Online". "A prematurely lost baby tooth can no longer fulfill its placeholder function, so that the natural development of the permanent row of teeth gets into disarray." For the child, this could mean, among other things, later misaligned teeth, which in part had to be orthodontically corrected, said Haßfurther.
Get used to oral hygiene before the first tooth
So that it does not even get that far, parents should therefore already start with the very small with the right oral hygiene. Even before the first deciduous tooth becomes visible, parents can slowly get their baby used to brushing their teeth by gently brushing their fingers over the ridge.
If the first tooth is there, we recommend brushing with a soft toothbrush. At the beginning, e.g. Haßfurther explains that a cotton swab or a fine cotton cloth is also used: "The key factor is regular dental care. The milk teeth must also be brushed twice a day. "At least once a day, a fluoridated toothpaste for children should be used to increase tooth decay resistance to decay bacteria.
Tooth development individually different
The deciduous teeth usually show up in the 6th to 7th month of life. For most babies, the lower incisors break first, then gradually the cheek and canines are added until the child's teeth end up with 20 teeth. These are replaced between the 6th and 12th year by the permanent teeth. The deciduous teeth usually fall out of their own accord, giving way to the new teeth, which are ideally preserved throughout life. How the molar dentition develops, which teeth break first and in what order, that can vary greatly from child to child. Even if the child does not get the first tooth until the age of one, that's no cause for concern.
Repainting important
In the first years, parents should always clean up, since the children still lack the motor skills to properly perform all toothbrushing movements. In the sixth year of life, it is also advisable to look regularly behind the milk teeth row to check whether there may have already "hidden" a new tooth.
Darjusch Haßfurther emphasizes that it is very important for healthy tooth development to get the little ones used to the visit to the dentist early on. "The best thing is to take the child to the office from the first tooth onwards for your own examinations." The doctor can help already recognize by a quick glance at the child's teeth, in which state this is.
The advantage: If caries is detected early in such a check, it can be removed easily. In addition, the early habituation can avoid a later dental fear: "If the children have learned that a visit to a dentist is relaxed and friendly routine, they have no problem with accompanying their parents or later taking the appointment themselves," Haßfurther explains.
Avoid sugary foods
Diet also plays a central role in the healthy development of children's teeth and protection against tooth decay. For example, if a toddler drinks sweetened tea from the vial constantly, the teeth will be damaged uninterruptedly. The very little ones should therefore get as little as possible sugary drinks such as sweet tea or fruit juice.
It is also important to ensure that children do not eat too many sweets. What many parents do not know: Milk also harms the milk teeth. Because if the teeth are constantly washed around with it, the milk sugar (lactose) that is contained can damage the teeth over time. Children should drink water or unsweetened tea as often as possible. (No)