iSMILE Dental not only
specializes in offering the highest international standards of oral
implantology, cosmetic restoration, and orthodontic treatments, but is also
committed to regular shanghai dental treatments and oral health consultation services. Beyond
that, iSMILE is greatly concerned about the oral health of children, encouraging
them to love and care for their teeth. Helping children to develop good oral
hygiene habits at an early age will benefit them for their entire lifetime!
1. At what age should parents first bring their children to see a dentist?
We should bring kids to see dentists shortly after their first baby teeth
come out. The advantages of this are:
·Early detection of tooth decay. Once a tooth first comes out, there is the
possibility for decay. So, the earlier the first visit, the easier it is for
dentists to deal with and the less fear kids will have of dental check-ups.
·Developing good oral habits. By monitoring a child’s teeth and jaw from an
early age, the dentist can also help instill good oral hygiene habits in the
child which can last for the rest of their life.
2. Is it necessary to repair baby teeth that have a cavity or some tooth
decay?
Many people think that since a child’s baby teeth will fall out later anyway,
we do not need to repair them. However, early tooth decay of baby teeth can lead
to the following problems if not treated in a timely manner:
· It will cause pain to the child, making them feel uncomfortable.
· If the problem becomes serious enough, children will develop problems
chewing. The pain could possibly lead the child to become reluctant to eat,
thereby adversely affecting their nutritional intake and healthy
development.
· For serious problems, the pain may make the child reluctant to chew, which
could also adversely affect their jaw bone. At such a young age, a lack of
chewing could cause the child’s jawbone to become underdeveloped due to a lack
of use. This, in turn, could result in a misalignment of the child’s face and
permanent teeth. This misalignment could also affect the child’s pronunciation
and their self-confidence.
Therefore, any early signs of tooth decay or cavities (even on baby teeth)
should be treated as quickly as possible.
3. When should we first start to clean the baby teeth?
The sooner, the better. To prevent a child from inadvertently swallowing
during a teeth cleaning, parents should use a special baby teeth toothbrush
(which is a toothbrush that can be set on a parent’s finger) to help their baby
clean their teeth. For children younger than 3 years old, it is not recommended
to use a fluoride toothpaste. After all of their baby teeth have come out,
children can visit their dentist for a professional teeth cleaning.
4. What is pit and fissure sealant?
There are natural grooves and fissures on the surface of teeth, and these
grooves and fissures are particularly easy places for food and bacteria to
accumulate and hide, which will cause tooth decay.
Therefore, pit and fissure sealant is used to fill in these natural grooves
and fissures in order to prevent the occurrence of cavities or tooth decay.
Usually the best time to seal the pits and fissures are around the time the
child’s first and second molars start coming out. Early pit and fissure sealant
is a highly effective method for preventing tooth decay.
5. Will having no candy help prevent a child’s tooth decay？
Eating too many sweets will certainly influence the
likelihood of tooth decay, but the idea that children cannot get tooth decay if
they completely avoid sweets is also wrong. We always encourage children to eat
more fiber-rich foods, because this will not only contribute to cleaner teeth
but also benefit the development of their jawbone.
Although a child may eat sweets, they will not have a
serious a problem if they brush their teeth often enough. Conversely, even if a
child never eats sweets, if they do not have good teeth cleaning habits, then
they can still develop tooth decay.
Therefore, the best ways to prevent tooth decay are to:
· help your child make brushing their teeth a habit;
· bring them to see the dentist regularly;
· and receive a pit and fissure sealant treatment when the molars first come
out.
6. How to protect children from harming their teeth during sports?
With more and more children participating in sports, the problem of how to
protect children from harm during sports is drawing more and more attention.
In economically developed areas, children may participate in a variety of
sports, including: football, boxing, rugby, basketball, baseball, hockey,
skating etc. In these sports, collisions or falls are common. So children will
need to wear a sports mouth guard (made of a specially-designed material) to
protect their teeth, lips, and cheeks from collisions and impacts.
