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3004 North 13th Street Carter Lake, IA 51510 Tel. (712) 347-6151 |
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Early Childhood Decay
New Updates and Recommendations
Early
childhood decay is one of the major causes of hospitalization in
children. It can cause pain, premature tooth loss, and failure to
thrive. All of this can occur before the age of 2 years. It can lead to
costly dental treatment and hospital bills. For example, a child age 2.5
was treated in the hospital at the University of Iowa, the child had
decay on 16/20 teeth. The patient required extensive dental treatment
totaling $1800.00, and medical/hospital fees of $8000.00. Children like
this are seen daily in hospitals, clinics, and specialty offices.It is recommended a child have their first dental visit around age 1, when they start getting their primary teeth. This will get the child familiar with the dental office, and be an easy visit for the child. The dentist or hygienist will counsel the parent or guardian on proper home care of the child’s teeth, as well as nutritional counseling and fluoride intake.
A child should see a dentist yearly until the age of 3, when they will go every 6 months. If a child has not been to see a dentist before the age of 3, he/she may have active decay, making the first dental visits unpleasant for the child. Early childhood decay affects all socioeconomic statuses, and therefore is important to share this information with all of your patients.
The main cause of decay on children’s teeth is due to the buildup of plaque and sugars on the teeth along with strep mutas (the bacteria that causes decay.) A child should discontinue the bottle by the age of 1. It is recommended to only have water throughout the night; milk, juice, kool-aid, and soda can cause rampant decay due to the sugars, and acids. Saliva flow is reduced at night allowing the sugars to stick the teeth and decay to occur.
Studies have shown that strep mutans can be transferred from mother to child by kissing, sharing drinks and eating off the same spoon. The window of infectivity for children is 19-31 months old. This is when the child’s molars are erupting; these molars can harbor the bacteria causing the rapid spread of decay. It is recommended that mothers get dental exams and treatment if needed to prevent spreading the bacteria. In some cases a dentist may need to prescribe mothers a chlorhexidine mouth rinse to help kill the bacteria.
Taking a child to the dentist at a very young age will familiarize them with the dentist, and make parents aware of the destruction that can be caused to their teeth before the age of two. Parents will learn preventive measures for their child’s teeth, therefore reducing the need for extensive dental treatment that can be costly.
Sealants are recommended on some children’s primary molars to prevent decay, and are almost always recommended for permanent molars. Sealing the molars protects the other teeth in the mouth from decaying because the strep mutans are sealed out of the grooves of the teeth.
Early childhood decay is a preventable disease if parents are made aware of the recommendations. As healthcare providers it is our responsibility to make our patients aware of the consequences of not seeing a dentist at a very young age.
All of this information is taken from evidence based research conducted at the University of Iowa School of dentistry.
Early Childhood Decay
In Carter Lake Iowa and the surrounding
Omaha NE - Council Bluffs IA - Elkhorn - Blair NE areas.
Copyright 2004 Internet Dental Alliance, Inc.
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