Pediatric Dentistry

Should baby teeth be treated?

Regardless, baby teeth must be treated just as permanent teeth. It is not right to neglect them within ‘it is not important whether baby teeth decay or not, they will be replaced by the new ones eventually’ misbelief. Because neglecting these teeth when they are decayed and postponing their treatment or not replacing them when they are lost may require much more intensive and long term treatments in the future. Baby teeth play a crucial role in nourishment of the child. Children, who have decayed teeth or who have lost their baby teeth prematurely, cannot eat comfortably, hence their growth and development are affected adversely. Teeth also have a great impact on speech delivery. Loss of incisors during the period of speech delivery mystify the pronunciation of ‘f,v,s,z,t’ letters; mispronunciation may turn out to be a life long habit. Therefore, parents should attach great importance to baby teeth. Control and care of a child’s baby teeth should not be neglected; necessary treatments should also be administered on schedule.

When should I bring my child for a dentist check?

First baby teeth erupt when babies are at least 6 months old, approximately. Furthermore, new baby teeth continue to erupt until the child is 2,5 years old. Dentistry is not only an occupational group that tends to denture, but also it is a profession that pays great importance and attention to oral health entirely. Consequently, it is possible to come for a dentist check concerning not only your child’s dental health but also his/her oral health, regardless of their age.

At what age and onwards should my child start to brush his/her teeth?

Dental care is substantially under the responsibility of parents until the child comes up to the school age. Beginning from the eruption of first baby tooth, it is crucial to cleanse inside the mouth after each feeding with a gauze dressing and not to leave any food residues on the teeth. Soft finger brushes, which are custom made to clean surface of the teeth, can be effective to use. Since children do not advance their spitting habit by the age of 3, it is advisable not to brush teeth with a toothpaste, only water will be enough to cleanse. Afterwards, again until they come up to the school age, teeth should be brushed at least twice a day, after breakfast and before bed, under parent supervision.

My child has a loose tooth, what should I do?

It is necessary to remove a tooth which is moving advance and which is due to fall out. Parents must be careful against the child’s risk of swallowing the tooth when they are sleeping or eating. And surely, it is beneficial to receive an assistance from a dentist.

What kind of a treatment can be applied to my child who has lost a baby tooth prematurely?

In cases of losing baby tooth prematurely, a removable or stable space maintainer can be designed to preserve the space that belongs to permanent tooth which will come from below. Therefore, the risk of adjacent teeth to close the space by passing on can be prevented and chewing function of the child can be regained.