Tooth decay in children: causes and treatment

Oral health needs to be taken care of from childhood. Like adults, children and their teeth are at risk of getting sick. Tooth decay in children who have not yet changed teeth exists, and is largely due to lack of hygiene habits, as well as other aspects especially food. For your children to receive the best care, go to our dental clinic Bilbao.

Many people think that the cavities in the milk teeth are solved when this piece falls. Obviously it is a thought because, due to the fall, another will come out that will replace them. However, the cavities in children in the temporary teeth is a problem that requires specialized attention and good habits in the home.

Caries are a focus of infections that can injure the teeth that have not yet come out and even the gums. Therefore, in this entry of dental clinic GetxoWe want to give you a review of childhood caries, their causes and treatment.

What is the origin of childhood cavities?

Caries in children are caused by increased presence of bacteria such as S. mutans. These bacteria use sugar as a food that generates acids that attack the enamel and then the deeper dental layers.

The rotten teeth in children are caused by a loss of balance between the attack of the bacteria and the remineralization that is obtained in the tooth by saliva. In this case, the origin of the cavities consists of the following factors:

• The composition of bacteria harmful to the teeth, called plaque (conglomeration of these bacteria). As there is an imbalance in the accumulation of these bacteria, the appearance of cavities will be encouraged and more pieces will be decayed.
• How long your teeth have contact with carbohydrates or sugars. Even, your blood may contain more glucose.
• The strength of the enamel and the ability of saliva to remineralize it in the face of bacteria attack.

How can I recognize a childhood tooth decay?

Children with cavities have some characteristics in their teeth that makes them easy to recognize. The color of the teeth begins to have a white tone without brightness. As their gravity progresses, the color begins to darken, from an ochre yellow to black in the area where the cavities are located.

Therefore, it is necessary to visit the dentist to evaluate any damage, and better if it is detected in the initial states. Even if it is provisional teeth, its good condition will influence the health of the final teeth.

Other associated symptoms:

• Strong pains that usually manifest after eating sweets, cold or hot foods.
• If you do not have symptoms, it is advisable to do an examination. An indication that you have cavities is a change of color from dental pieces to dark tones.
• Holes in the teeth or teeth, which is a symptom that the cavities have an advanced state.

Do you have caries on your milk teeth? Is it serious?

The difference between temporary and definitive teeth is the hardness of the enamel. This enamel is much tougher and tougher in the final tooth. In the temporary tooth, this enamel is softer and more fragile, and also the dimensions of this denture is smaller.

The caries in the milk teeth are small cavities called “baby caries”. Not only do they affect this type of teeth, but they also attack the incisors, especially the superior ones. Therefore, the answer is if it is a serious condition: Yes, they are. They are quite aggressive for the dental parts and can even destroy it, thanks to their rapid advance.

The causes of these cavities lie in poor eating habits of the baby and his parents. One of them may be to let the baby sleep with the bottle, which may contain foods or juices with sugar. Another case is to let the children sleep with their breasts (children who already have teeth).

Why does it attack this type of denture? Depending on the teeth, it is because in them there are clefts and recovecs. In them can be left traces of food (especially sugars), which are exploited by the bacteria responsible for producing acids that attack the enamel.

What is the treatment for caries in children?

Caries treatments in children will depend on the age and severity of the caries in their dental pieces. In addition, it will depend on whether the caries attack is on temporary or definitive parts. In these cases:

• When the injury affects the nerve and is a temporary tooth, an octopotomy is performed.
• If there is no disturbance or damage to the nerves, a filling is done.
• If there are gaps, a metal crown is applied, which helps keep the space and keeps the tooth running for a proper chewing process.
• When the infection causes destruction to the root, extraction is most recommended. If it is a temporary tooth, a space maintainer must be installed in the empty space. Thus, adjacent teeth do not invade the space corresponding to the tooth piece.

Caries in children aged 2 to 5 years

To treat tooth decay in children aged 2 to 5 years, the first thing the oral specialist will do will be the evaluation of teeth. In provisional or milk teeth, the cavities advance very quickly. Therefore, it is important to treat them in time to avoid problems for the final teeth.

For the treatments of bottle caries, it can range from a filling application to a pulpectomy. The latter consists of removing the remains of damaged pulp to preserve the tooth piece and its functionality.

Caries in children aged 6 to 12

In the case of caries of children between 6 and 12 years of age, at this age, the child must have moved almost all of his provisional teeth. Therefore, he already has the teeth similar to an adult.

If the cavity is small, it can be cured on its own. You just have to intervene a little to favor its disappearance thanks to the process of remineralization, therefore you have to take advantage that the infection has not completely worn out the enamel.

Now, in deeper cases when caries are detected, an obturator filling can be performed, repairing the damaged area. However, filling will depend on two situations: how large the caries are and how long the temporary tooth will remain in the mouth.

If the cavity is more advanced, endodontic work must be done, or if the crown is badly damaged or destroyed, extraction of the part involved.

Measures to prevent caries in infants

To prevent childhood tooth decay, it is necessary as parents to get involved in the hygiene and good eating habits of our children. To do this:

• Reduce or decrease foods rich in sugars. The risk increases when they are consumed more often and stay longer inside the mouth. Some of these foods are sugary drinks such as soft, sticky foods or sodas.
• If your child is young, younger than 2 years old, keep him or her from falling asleep with his or her bottle sucking. Accumulated sugars can cause the loss of enamel.
• Wash your mouth (if small) at least twice a day. If you are older, help to make this wash the right one.
• Taking care of and washing the teeth well mothers. Usually there are bacteria that can pass the child from a very early age, such as mutans. Also, actions that can be transmitted to the child, such as blowing food, should be avoided, using their implements as forks, spoons, among others.
• Children's cavities must be treated with the greatest urgency. Those already initiated must be eliminated as they may involve risks to permanent teeth.
• The irregular anatomy of the teeth should be checked, as they may be a preferred place to stay bacteria and the cavities should come out.

Do you think your son might have a tooth decay?

If you need a dental examination of your little one, it is best to go to the ODONTOFAMILY. Here we have a large family of specialists, especially for children at any age. We have experience in the treatment of caries in children, in addition to their early detection. From here your date, or if you want our virtual consultation service, you can do it directly on our website.