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Our oral cavity is the habitat of millions of oral bacteria. The microbial plaque of our mouth consists of these bacteria. The accumulation of oral plaque causes gingivitis and dental caries. This is the reason why, besides everyday oral hygiene practices (tooth brushing, dental floss and mouthwash), children should visit their pediatric dentist for a dental cleaning and fluoride treatment.
The dental cleaning in children consists of:
- Scaling: with the special ultrasound instrument, all the hard bacterial parts that form the dental calculus are removed. In very young children (3-4 y.o.) we might avoid this part unless the dentist decides it is necessary.
- Polishing: with a soft brush and a special toothpaste the microbial plaque will be removed (this is soft and can be removed easily). The paste might feel a little bit hoarse but it has nice flavors of fruits or bubble gum.
Dental caries in children: a chronic disease
Dental caries is formed from the acids the microbes in our mouth produce. After sugar consumption, the microbes metabolize it and they create acids that penetrate and destroy the external hard part of the tooth (enamel) and create cavities in the soft part of the tooth (dentin). This is dental caries. In order to strengthen the enamel of the tooth and avoid dental caries, it is recommended, even by World Health Organization (WHO) the fluoride treatment every 6 months.
What is fluoride and how does it work?
Fluoride is a particle-like ferrum. We can find it in many foods we consume and even naturally in the drinking water in many parts of the world. His protective mechanism on the tooth has to do with the fact that it gets absorbed on the surface of the enamel and changes its molecular construction.
This type of enamel is more resistant to the acids of the dental plaque; destroying it will take a lower pH for a longer time than usual. In addition to that, fluoride has also a bacteriostatic action, which means that the oral bacteria can no longer produce acids that destroy the teeth.
Fluoride treatment in children
The fluoride treatment is the treatment at the dental office with a special fluoride gel or varnish in a dental office setting every 6 months. With the repetitive fluoride application, the primary and new baby teeth develop a harder enamel (the external part of the tooth) that is harder to be broken and penetrated by oral bacteria for the rest of the tooth’s (and the patient’s) life.
The gel or varnish comes in many different flavours for the child to choose from. The gel is applied on soft retainers so it can stay on the child’s teeth from 30sec-4min, depending on the product. The fluoride is applied with a little brush directly on the teeth in younger or uncooperative patients. It is recommended after professional dental cleaning to allow the maximum absorbance of the fluoride from the dental surface.
Parents should be aware that after fluoride treatment, the young patient can’t have anything to eat or drink for 30 minutes.
Black stains on children’s teeth
Some young patients develop really dark (black) stains immediately after the teeth erupt. The dentist should exclude the possibility of caries and proceed to the removal of the staining with a professional dental cleaning. The staining is caused by the existence of chromogenic dental bacteria, that metabolize the sugars in the food and create staining.
The patient should know that this kind of staining is completely harmless even though aesthetically is unacceptable. There are multiple factors that aggravate the staining such as poor oral hygiene and consumption of liquid carbohydrates. As the patient is getting older and the oral hygiene improves, the severe staining appears less and less on the teeth.
The benefits of dental cleaning and fluoride treatment in children
The great benefits of starting preventive dental visits at a young age (at least at the age of 3-3,5 y.o.) consist not only of having good oral health but mainly in establishing a very positive experience with the dentist and having a good relationship with the dental treatment throughout the patient’s life.
If a six-month schedule of dental check-ups and cleanings is retained, it is guaranteed that even if dental caries are developing, we will intervene in a very early stage so the patient will not have a negative experience. In addition to that, children will learn from the experts and develop really good oral hygiene to protect their overall health in their life.
Dental Cleaning and fluoride treatment in Happy Tooth Clinic
Our goal at Happy Tooth Clinic is to make the dental visit and treatment as much fun as possible! Most of the parents had a previous bad experience with the dentist as kids and that created some fear for the dental treatment. Our doctor’s team and our children-friendly environment will create only a positive experience for the little patients and that will form well-educated and trained adults.
If you have any questions or you would like to book an appointment with us, please feel free to contact us here.
- ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ
- ΚΛΕΙΣΤΕ ΡΑΝΤΕΒΟΥ
Pediatric dentist Dr. Lila Papadopoulou graduated from the Dental School of Athens. She worked as a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Forsyth Dental Institute of Harvard Dental School, where she completed her Master’s degree focusing on Oral Microbiology. Subsequently, she specialized in Pediatric Dentistry at the Boston University Goldman School of Dental Medicine. As part of her specialization at Boston University, she was involved with children with autism and individuals with special needs. In her continuous effort to provide high-quality dental services to children, she established the Happy Tooth Dental Clinic in Glyfada in 2011.
