Pediatric Dental Treatment
Is dental treatment for children different and who takes care of children’s dental treatment?
We carry out kid’s dental health and provide their treatments. The part of dentistry that deals with children is known as Pedodontia. Physicians who specialized in infant dental health and kid’s dental health and treatments are called Pedodontists.
Since dentists are among the first dentists that children get to know at an early age, their social responsibilities increase.
The way to raise the level of oral and dental health in society is passing through children. If children have a good level of health, the society they will form when they grow up will also have a high level of health. Families should have a pediatrician as well as a dentist who practices pedodontics.
These dentists should have knowledge and experience in infant dental health and treatments, pediatric dental health and treatments. Children should be prepared to go to the dentist for check-ups from an early age. Children who are used to going to the dentist with their parents will be much more comfortable sitting in the chair when any treatment is needed and will have the necessary interventions done comfortably.
Preventive dentistry practices from childhood have started to become more popular nowadays. Families should be made informed and educated about this issue before caries develops. Starting with the issues to be considered in the nutrition of children starting from infancy, it should be taught how to provide oral care in infants and children.
Children who are fed sugary drinks, bottles mixed with honey, and pacifiers suffer from widespread tooth decay called bottle caries. Sometimes these deep fissures can also cause pain to the baby. In this case, treatment can be very difficult. In case of discomfort during the cleaning of deepening caries, either the treatment is left unfinished or all caries are filled at once with a general anesthesia-like application with methods called sedation. Of course, it is better to take the necessary preventive steps to avoid the formation of cavities. Children who are taught how to maintain their personal oral hygiene should be checked to ensure that they repeat these procedures on a daily basis, their mistakes and deficiencies should be corrected and they should be brought for dental check-ups at regular intervals.
There are Pedodontists and dentists who pay special attention to children and create special clinics for them, work for children, create playgrounds for them, give them educational gifts, and attract their attention with games. These doctors also use special treatments to ensure that children have teeth that are resistant to decay. Local fluoride applications, which increase the resistance of teeth to caries, are the most common. Special fluorine solutions with different flavors, applied for one minute with tiny spoons prepared for children, are extremely effective. There are also fissure sealants, which are similar to varnish, that provide protection against decay by plastering the tooth cavities where decay is likely to occur. These protectors, which prevent tooth decay by forming a colorless layer, are very effective and their effects last for 4-5 years. Despite everything, it is also very important to make placeholders to protect the place of permanent teeth that will come from below in case of loss of milk teeth that may occur at an early age. Some of the crowding that occurs in teenage years is due to the displacement of the teeth due to early milk tooth loss, the lack of space for the permanent teeth coming from below and the resulting space constrictions. Thanks to a placeholder installed at an early stage, a possible need for orthodontic treatment at an advanced age can be easily prevented and unnecessary waste of time and money can be avoided.
The first dental check-up, which is a difficult situation for many parents, can be made easier for both children and their families with the “show and practice” method.
Tips for parents on the first appointment:
Please do not try to direct your children’s behavior and reactions, make suggestions and warnings, and certainly do not inform them about the instruments used before they meet the dentist. Do not promise them a reward at the end of the appointment. These are the duties of the dentist. Let them have their first experiences with books, toys and movies prepared for them. You just need to relax and take your children to the dentist. You will see that peace of mind will be reflected in your child. Remember that the fear of dentists is not something we are born with, but something we give to our children without realizing it.
What to do at first appointment
Make sure that your child’s first appointment takes place in the calmest time and environment of the clinic. When you call your dentist, be sure to mention that this will be the first appointment, and if you have had a bad experience in the past, be sure to provide detailed information about it. A simple explanation about your child’s age and the problem will make the dentist’s job easier.
When to come with your kid?
Two and a half to three years is a good age to meet the dentist. The child now communicates better with the people around him/her and concentrates more easily on the game and therefore on the treatment. Another reason for choosing this early age is that they are more easily exposed to trauma (falls, bumps and injuries) at this age when they start to get out of parental control. The most unpleasant thing for a child is fall and break a tooth while playing in the park, and the first time he/she experiences the fear, pain and panic of seeing a dentist for the first time. This will not only make treatment more difficult, but will also cause the child to experience a second psychological trauma. Following the first appointment in a child of this age, if there is no decay, which is optimal, topical (superficial) fluoride application to the upper and lower jaw as a preventive measure will increase the resistance of your child’s teeth against decay and help to achieve a healthy smile. A simple tooth brushing method taught through play is the first step in building this habit.
From now, the dentist will be a family friend for your children to visit from time to time.