11 Jun Tooth decay in children: when it appears and how to treat it
Tooth decay in children: everything you need to know
Caries is the most common chronic childhood disease that can appear in baby teeth. It originates because the natural bacteria in the mouth feed on the remains of food that remain on the surface of the teeth and release acids that end up destroying the layers of dental tissue.
At first, tooth decay is not bothersome, but when it reaches the nerve, it causes great pain. Find out below when caries appears in children and why.
When does caries appear in children and why does it occur?
When a child’s first milk teeth start to come in, caries, known as baby bottle tooth decay, can begin to appear. In children between 6 months and 5 years of age, its origin lies in the ingestion of sugars and the bad habit of sleeping with a bottle in the mouth.
In children over 5 years of age, there are other factors that together can cause caries, and these are:
- The presence of bacteria in the mouth
- The susceptibility of tooth enamel
- Eating too many sweets or sugary drinks
- Poor oral hygiene
How to solve the problem of caries in children?
At the Gallardo & Jiménez Dental Clinic we have a paediatric dentistry service, which is the specialised branch of oral health for children. Here we solve caries problems in children, whether in milk teeth or permanent teeth. The treatment will be different depending on whether the children’s teeth are permanent or temporary.
For children between 2 and 5 years old and their teeth are baby teeth, we will carry out treatments such as fillings or pulpectomies to remove the damaged pulp. In this way we will prevent the permanent teeth from erupting with any problems.
In children between 6 and 12 years of age who already have permanent teeth, different dental treatments can be carried out depending on the level of severity of the caries. If it has not affected the teeth very much, we will do a filling. But if the caries has damaged the nerve, endodontics can be performed or even the tooth can be extracted.
How can we prevent children from suffering from caries?
The most important measure to prevent our children from getting tooth decay is good daily dental hygiene. Get your children used to brushing their teeth correctly after every meal and this will reduce the incidence of caries by up to 50%.
Contact our dental clinic for more information.