Are milk teeth important?
20 milk teeth that start to emerge in infancy and help the child’s digestion by biting, chewing, and crushing until the age of 6-7, affect the development of the face and jaw. It preserves the place of permanent teeth and prepares the necessary foundation for them before they arrive. Premature loss of any milk tooth causes neighboring teeth to slide towards this cavity and perplexity in the mouth. The 20 milk teeth, which start to emerge in infancy and help the child’s digestion with processes such as biting, chewing, and crushing until about 6-7 years of age, affect the development of the face and jaw. It prepares the necessary foundation for permanent teeth by preserving their place. The early loss of any primary tooth causes the adjacent teeth to slide into this space and cause crowding in the mouth.
Dental Cleaning in Childhood
It is not possible to expect a successful dental and oral cleaning from children in the early period. Here, parents have a very serious responsibility. Cleaning should be started after the first teeth begin to appear in the baby’s mouth (6-8 months). After each feeding, the teeth are wiped with a clean cheesecloth or gauze. From 1-1.5 years old, their teeth should be cleaned with a toothbrush with a small head, flat, soft, and nylon bristles. After the age of 2.5, a small amount of toothpaste can be put on the brush. However, it should never be swallowed.
Preventive Measures and Methods for Children’s Teeth
Fissure Sealant
There are indentations and protrusions called pits and fissures on the chewing surfaces of molars. Fissure sealants are plastic-based materials that fill these pits to protect teeth from decay. It is in liquid form and white in color. It is a painless treatment that does not wear the teeth while applying, does not require anesthesia, and can be done in as little as 5 minutes. Fissure sealants are always applied to the first and second molars of children who have recently erupted.
Fluoride Applications: Fluoride is an element that increases the tooth’s resistance to decay with the chemical bond it creates with tooth enamel. Due to this feature, it is also found in the structure of many tubes of toothpaste. Recent studies have shown that oral fluoride tablets given as a preventive treatment during pregnancy or infancy are not sufficient to prevent the development of dental caries. It has been scientifically proven that topical application of fluoride to tooth surfaces is a highly effective method in gaining resistance to caries. For this reason, applying topical fluoride gels every 3-6 months will provide significant protection against caries in the future of the child.
Deciduous tooth problems that can cause problems in permanent teeth
The blow to the front milk teeth can cause infections and cause irregularities in the shape, size, and color of the permanent teeth. If deciduous teeth are pulled instead of being held in place by treatment, placeholders may be needed to protect the space. The first and second molars of the first and second molars must be in place while the 6-year-old female is driving in the mouth. Thus, the 6-year-old female will continue in its normal place.