According to statistics, today only 20% of children do not know what caries and a dental chair are. Parents do not take this disease too seriously because of its high prevalence. And really, why worry if all children equally walk with damaged teeth. In fact, early caries is a complex problem that requires a comprehensive solution. Today we will talk about the causes and prevention measures, as well as the available treatment options. This information will be extremely important for all parents, as it will avoid a number of troubles.
What is caries
This is the process of destruction of the hard tissues of the tooth. There are many reasons for this, we will analyze them in detail today. These can be both external and internal causes, that is, the general condition of the body, immunity in the first place.
However, the main reason why early caries develops is plaque, andto be more precise, the bacteria that live in the oral cavity. How do they get there? Everything is very simple, mom becomes their carrier. They licked the nipple, gave the crumbs to eat from their spoon, and so the teeth began to deteriorate, not having had time to really grow. But that's not all. If the mother did not treat her teeth before pregnancy, then early caries is guaranteed for the baby, because he will be initially infected.
How does tooth decay progress
We have already figured out that there are bacteria in the mouth that are responsible for the development of this disease. But the products of their vital activity cause early caries. It turns out a classic food chain. Bacteria eat sugars and produce acids. As a result, the acid-base balance in the oral cavity is disturbed.
This is the answer to the main question of why early caries develops so quickly. Enamel of milk teeth is very weakly mineralized, this is especially noticeable in the first 2 years and 5 months of life. It is because of this that dentists recommend giving up sweets at least during this period of a child’s life, not giving him too cold or hot food.
So, the resulting acid leaches minerals from the enamel, which means that the process of destruction is very fast. Early caries in just a few months turns into complicated forms, in which dentists remove teeth. Imagine that the child at this point may still be only a year old. At the age of 2 to 3 years, these processes slow down, but most often it is too late by this time, andmost of the teeth are in poor condition.
Causes of early caries in children
Let's now discuss in detail why such a disease develops. Many parents think that if they do not give the baby sweets, then they are completely protected from the development of caries. In fact, it's too early to relax. The list of reasons is much wider:
- Incorrect oral hygiene. Even if the teeth are just erupting, they immediately need proper care. This is wiping the gums with a damp cloth, and later brushing with a wet brush without paste. When a child erupts 6-7 teeth, you can start using the first fluoride-free paste.
- Infection with pathogenic microorganisms. We've talked about this before, but it's worth repeating. You can’t eat with a child from one spoon, especially if you have carious teeth in your mouth.
- Genetic predisposition. This is a violation of the development of enamel, which is laid even during intrauterine formation, due to maternal smoking or taking certain medications.
- Lack of vitamins and minerals, in particular fluorine and calcium in the child's diet.
- Long-term breastfeeding, no matter how strange it may seem. By the time the milk teeth are formed, the baby will be transferred to five meals a day. But if the baby continues to breastfeed without restriction, at any time of the day or night, without performing oral hygiene after that, then plaque and carious cavities will form.
- Mixes and juices, milk, sweet compotes - all this contributes to the development of caries. This factor is especially serious if the child is notparting with the bottle day and night. After a year at night, he should receive only water. In the afternoon, after each feeding, oral hygiene should be carried out.
- Cookies and muffins, sweets and marshmallows that are given to a child are also an important factor, since there is always food for bacteria in the mouth. It is not necessary to completely deprive the child of sweets, but convey to him that after the candy you need to chew gum, rinse your mouth, or at least drink water.
Important for everyone to know
Once again, summing up, I would like to note that early caries in children occurs largely due to fractional and frequent feedings on demand, as well as unlimited access to snacks during the day and, most importantly, at night. Replace all sweets with fruits. The fructose they contain does not pose any danger. In addition, the diet should have enough calcium, the main source of which is cottage cheese and cheese. Equally important is vitamin D, which we get from fish. In addition, the body can produce it on its own under the influence of sunlight. The third required component is fluorine. You can buy special water filters enriched with this element.
Prevention measures
Early caries of milk teeth is much easier to prevent than to treat. And first of all, hygiene will help you. All the activities described above (rinsing the mouth, rubbing the first teeth and their subsequent cleaning) are alsoaimed at reducing the risk of developing the disease. If you notice bright white stripes on your child's teeth, then you need to contact your dentist as soon as possible. Soon enough they will turn into dark spots.
Early children's caries can be stopped in the early stages, if you use drugs that increase the mineral composition of tooth enamel. From birth to six years, doctors prescribe special gels, such as "ROKS Minerale". Mom will rub it into the gums, and the minerals will effectively strengthen the tooth enamel. After six years, "Remars Gel" is prescribed, which also gives very good results.
Consequences of advanced forms of the disease
Often parents think that nothing terrible is happening. These are milk teeth, they will fall out and that's it. Photos of early caries in advanced stages are a rather unpleasant picture, but you need to think not only about the aesthetic side of the issue. If the disease is not treated, then there is a general decrease in immunity. And how could it be otherwise, when a breeding ground of bacteria grows in the cavity of the tooth, which tend to capture other organs as well. As long as the immune system is strong, it will keep the bacteria in check, but once it fails, hostile microorganisms take over.
Child gets sick often
What does the uncontrolled reproduction of bacteria lead to? First of all, these are constant problems of ENT organs. Closest are the tonsils, followed by the bronchi and lungs. In this case, parents are faced with endless sore throats, coughs and othermanifestations of acute respiratory infections.
Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract are rarely associated with caries, but there is also a direct relationship here. The child swallows a large number of streptococcal bacteria along with waste products. It is clear that this does not affect the digestion process in the best way.
Moreover, all this along the chain pulls orthodontic problems along with it. Since the teeth hurt, and the respiratory organs are constantly in an inflamed state, the wrong bite gradually develops, the habit of breathing through the mouth. This is reflected even in the formation of specific facial features. See how much an untreated tooth means.
What can be done
In fact, parents can, if not completely cure, then significantly stop early caries. How to get rid of a rapidly progressing disease at home, we will talk with you now. The first thing to remember is that only in the early stages can home treatments be effective.
You can define it yourself. If the damaged tooth still does not hurt, even when too cold or hot water gets in, there are no black dots, and the caries itself looks like a whitish strip, then a number of measures should be taken to prevent further development of the clinical picture. In principle, this is the prevention that was described above. If you realized it at this stage of the development of the disease, then a photo of early caries in children will practically not differ in any way from a he althy smile, with the exception of bright white spots. So:
- Urgentchoose a special paste and use it twice a day.
- Additionally treat your teeth with gels and enamel strengthening compounds.
- Use rinse aid.
- Follow your diet. That is, replace sweets with vegetables and fruits and enrich your diet with fermented milk products.
Folk recipes
First of all, this is the use of medicinal herbs and decoctions from them:
- For these purposes, dentists recommend using sage. It destroys microorganisms and normalizes the acid-base environment in the oral cavity. To do this, 100 g of dry grass is poured with the same amount of vodka. After two weeks, the product can be used in the form of applications.
- For rinsing, they often take an infusion of finely chopped roots. This will require a glass of raw materials, cut into pieces. They are poured with a liter of vodka and insisted for 7 days. After that, the tincture is used for evening rinsing, diluted with water.
- Mint strengthens tooth enamel. To do this, the leaves are cut and put in a water bath for several minutes. You can add a little wine vinegar to them for better preservation. Used for rinsing.
- Onion peel decoction effectively kills bacteria.
- Simple soda and s alt perfectly inhibit the development of caries. To do this, 40 g of a substance is added to a glass of water. Rinse your mouth with this solution every time after eating.
Further development of the disease
Until now, we have only talked about early caries. Get rid of at homeconditions from deeper lesions will fail. In this case, you should definitely consult a doctor. Even the superficial stage is characterized by the appearance of defects on the enamel, which creates a favorable environment for the development of microorganisms. The middle stage is associated with the destruction of not only enamel, but also dentin. Here, painful sensations already arise when in contact with cold and hot, when consuming sour and sweet. The deep stage of caries is the defeat of the internal cavities of the tooth. Now the disease is approaching the nerve endings. Accordingly, the pain becomes more pronounced.
Instead of a conclusion
As you can see, caring for the oral cavity is by and large the task of parents. It is you who can create all the conditions for making trips to the dentist rare and enjoyable. In our article, we provide a photo of early caries of milk teeth, so that you have a good idea of \u200b\u200bhow it all starts. No need to wait until black spots or holes appear on the teeth. If you start acting now, the chances of stopping the disease are much higher. And of course, without consulting a professional doctor, at least once every 6 months, you can’t do anything.
