Children to the dentist

The visit of the children to the pediatric dentist is necessary so that he examines the child's mouth: teeth, braces, gums and occlusion, and detects if there are any problems.

When to go to the dentist for the first time?

It is advised that the first visit of a child to the specialist (called a pediatric dentist) is when he has completed all the milk teething, which consists of, which happens around three years of age.

During this visit, the pediatric dentist will examine the child's mouth: teeth, braces, gums and occlusion. It will detect if there are any problems and will teach parents the correct way to and maintain good dental health for their child.

Tooth decay, the main problem

The is nothing more than an infection of the tooth produced by microbes that secrete acids that are destroying the tooth. It is the most common chronic childhood disease, with a prevalence five times higher than the second, childhood asthma.

The main factors causing tooth decay are:

• Hereditary: heredity can make us have more susceptible teeth.
• Bacterial: the microbes that cause cavities are acquired. The baby is born with a sterile mouth and little by little it becomes colonized by microbes. These are normally transmitted through the parents and relatives of the child by carrying out bad habits such as, for example, cleaning the pacifier or the nipple of the bottle with the mouth, using the same spoon as the baby or even kissing the children to mouth.
• Diet: the child's diet must be varied and fish must be included in it. Diets based on pizza, pasta and chips not only do not promote dental health but also promote dental and other associated ailments. On the subject of tooth decay, it is important to note that children should not abuse packaged fruit juices, sweets and candies, carbonated drinks, ketchup (contains a significant amount of sugar) and pastries.
• Exposure time: it is the time that the teeth are exposed to acids derived from sugar. Therefore, the longer it takes the child to have a juice, a piece of pastry ... the longer their teeth remain in contact with the sugar and the more acid attack will occur. Hence, for example, it is not advisable for the child to have a snack in front of the television.
• Oral hygiene: it must be regular and of quality. Until the first year of age, it is enough to clean the few teeth that the child has with a moistened gauze. From the age of 2, you can already introduce the toothbrush and the paste, which we will adapt to your age. This should have a small head and soft bristles. There are brushes on the market that are specially designed for parents to brush their little ones' teeth. It is important that the elderly show him how to do it so that later he can do it himself: we will gently brush him after each meal. As for the amount of pasta, it should be minimal (the size of a lentil).

Detect it in time

It is important that tooth decay is diagnosed by the pediatric dentist. Parents should not wait for them to detect it, since then it is usually quite late because the cavitation process has already started and the caries is in a very advanced stage.

How is cavities treated?

In milk teeth, the pediatric dentist will assess the affectation of caries and establish the most appropriate treatment to keep the tooth healthy until it is time to exfoliate. Decisions are always aimed at preserving the formation of the definitive tooth without problems or complications.

In permanent teeth, the treatment is usually the same as that of an adult, unless we find a caries with nerve involvement in an immature tooth (which has only recently been in the mouth), since then it can be more complicated.

Other reasons for consultation

• Ectopic eruption of some definitive pieces. It is a fairly common problem that becomes a frequent reason for consultation. It is the eruption of the definitive tooth without the milk one having fallen. In these cases, the pediatric dentist will assess the mobility of the milk piece and whether there is a lot of root left to be reabsorbed. In most cases, the dental extraction of the milk piece will be carried out to ensure a good eruption of the definitive one.
• Agenesis or supernumerary teeth. Agenesis is the congenital absence of one or more teeth in the primary or permanent dentition, while supernumerary teeth refer to the presence of a higher number of teeth than normal in the dental arch. It is usually discovered in check-ups, by radiography, hence the importance of regular visits. Having a single or multiple agenesis will determine when deciding on a good treatment plan, since not having a definitive piece, it is necessary to try to preserve the milk as much as possible.

How to maintain good mental health

• Make regular visits to the pediatric dentist. They should be every six months.
• Control the diet as much as possible.
• Have a very good oral hygiene.
• From the age of 6, start with fluoride rinses to strengthen the enamel.

• First visit: when the child has completed all the milk teething, which consists of 20 teeth, which happens around three years of age.
• Caries is the most common chronic childhood disease and can be due to oral hygiene, hereditary factors (more susceptible teeth), time of exposure to acids derived from sugar, etc.
• Treatment: in milk teeth, an attempt will be made to keep the tooth healthy until it is exfoliated and in permanent teeth the treatment is the same as that of an adult.