What are the key elements of preventive care in children?
Good oral health habits start early. Children learn by watching their parents. The parents’ dental health habits, especially their use of fluoride, guide the child’s dental health habits. By age 5, tooth decay may begin. Regular dental visits should begin at age one.
What is preventive care?
Good oral hygiene is a habit that begins early. Preventive care, or preventive dentistry, is the general term used to describe any procedure performed to prevent oral disease.
What causes cavities in children?
Many factors can contribute to tooth decay in children. These factors include:
- A diet high in sugary foods and drinks
- Not brushing and flossing teeth regularly
- Lack of fluoride
- Low intake of calcium
- Dry mouth
- Bad habits such as thumb sucking
- Family history
- Poor dental hygiene habits
- Diseased
Treatment of cavities in children often involves fluoride treatment and dental fillings.
What is tooth erosion?
Tooth erosion is the dissolving of tooth structure. It occurs when acids in the mouth attack the protective enamel.
What is early childhood caries?
Early childhood caries (ECC) is the term used to describe tooth decay in infants and toddlers. Also known as baby bottle tooth decay, this often occurs in children between the ages of 12 months and 3 years.
What is baby bottle tooth decay?
Baby bottle tooth decay, also known as early childhood caries, is a preventable form of tooth decay in infants and toddlers. This dental problem occurs when a child is put to bed with a bottle that contains milk, formula, fruit juices, or sweetened liquids. Bacteria in your mouth feed on the leftover sugar in your child’s drink, turning the sugar into an acid that attacks the teeth for up to 20 minutes.
What is early childhood caries?
Early Childhood Caries (or ECC) is a disease that causes teeth to decay at a very early age. It is five times more common than asthma in young children.
What is baby
Baby teeth, also called primary teeth, are the first 20 teeth that come in. These teeth will be in the mouth until a child is about 12 years old.
