Parents play an important and primary role in the oral health of their infants and young children. Parental intervention is very important. The Canadian Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommend that an infant's first visit to the dentist should be by one year of age or within six months of the eruption of their first tooth and no later than 12 months of age. This visit provides Dentists with the opportunity to educate parents and provide anticipatory guidance for prevention of dental disease.
These organizations represent the specialty of Pediatric Dentistry. They are primary contributors to professional educational programs. Dental professionals have the knowledge and education to provide you and your child with proper techniques and education to prevent tooth decay.
Early Childhood Caries (ECC)
Early childhood carries (ECC) is defined as the presence of one or more decayed, missing or filled tooth surface in the primary tooth in a child 71 months of age or younger. This decay is associated with food and liquids (i.e, milk, breast milk and juices) bathing the teeth for extended period of time without a balance of gum and tooth-brushing practices. The longer food remains in the mouth, the higher the child’s risk of developing ECC.
It’s important to know that children can develop cavities (tooth decay) as soon as their first tooth erupts into the mouth. Tooth decay continues to be the most common chronic disease among children between the ages of five and seventeen. It is estimated that 59% of children in this age group are affected with tooth decay. More importantly, there has been in increase in ECC in children two to five years of age, with a 30% increase in this disease pattern within the past five years.
"Severe caries affects the quality of life of young children, but this effect can be improved by the elimination of caries." (Low, W., Tan, S. and Schwartz, S. The effect of severe caries of the quality of life of young children, Journal of Pediatric Dentistry, 21:6, 1999).
Steps to Avoid the Development of Early Childhood Caries (ECC)
It is important to understand that early childhood carries is avoidable.
- Parents and caregivers should start oral hygiene practices as soon as a baby is born by using damp gauze to wipe the mouth and gums pads after feedings.
- Once teeth start to erupt, the introduction of a tooth brush should occur.
- Children need assistance with toothbrushing until they are a minimum of eight years of age.
- It is important to begin monitoring for signs of tooth decay in early childhood.
- The first signs are usually found along the gum line of the front teeth (upper incisors) and present as chalky white lines. This is evidence that the parent needs to lift the child's lip while brushing to properly clean teeth.
- The next stage of progression of dental disease includes the presence of brown or yellow spots on the teeth. These are often found in the grooves of the large back teeth (molars) and along the tongue side of the front teeth (upper incisors).
Reasons to Treat Primary (First) Teeth
People often mistakenly believe that since children's primary (or first) teeth will fall out naturally as children age that these teeth do not require treatment. There are numerous reasons why primary teeth must be treated.
- If teeth are not cared for, they will cause your child unnecessary pain and suffering.
- If teeth are not cared for, your child's ability to chew food properly will be compromised which can limit his or her ability to meet their dietary requirements.
- If primary teeth fall out prematurely due to lack of treatment, growth and development are compromised. The presence of teeth helps to guide proper growth and development of a child's head and neck.
- The presence of teeth helps to guide the permanent teeth into a better position which may help to eliminate the need and expense of intervention later in life.
- Healthy dentition optimizes a child's appearance and socialization.
Quick Facts
- In the United States, more than 51 million hours of school are missed each year by children due to dental related illness.
- Dental caries is five times more common than asthma (United States. Surgeon General's Report, 2000). Only colds, flu and ear infections (otitis media) occur more often among toddlers.
- In the United States, the cost of treating dental caries under general anaesthesia has been estimated to range from $1000 to $5000.
- Sports accidents reportedly account for 10 to 39% of all dental injuries in children (Newsome P., Tran D., Cooke M., The role of the mouthguard in the prevention of sports-related dental injuries: A review. International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry, 2001:11(6):396-404.)
- The estimated lifetime cost to treat a knocked out (avulsed) permanent tooth is $20,000.00 (U.S. National Youth Sports Safety Foundation, Inc. 2005). It is much less expensive to have your dentist make a custom fit mouthguard to help prevent such injuries.
Fact resources:
http://www.aapd.org/
http://www.capd-acdp.org/