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2. How to avoid dental decay in Children? Dental decay or caries is by far the commonest disease of teeth. No one knows for sure as to what actually causes it. Experts believe that heredity plays some role. Nutritional inadequacy seemingly plays a part. What, I believe, matters most in its causation is the excessive use of sugar. Add to it the bad dental hygiene – that is the child’s carelessness to brush his teeth regularly so that particles of food remain clung to the teeth or between them. The food particles lead to caries by excessive production of lactic acid by the bacteria which feed on sugar and starch. This acid dissolves the outer covering of the teeth, producing small holes or cavities. The cavities allow further lodging of the food particles which means greater bacterial growth leading to further production of lactic acid and enlargement of cavities and further destruction of teeth. A vicious circle is set up.

3. The worst offender among various sugar foods are candies, chocolates, toffees, lollipops, cookies, crackers, dry fruits and the like – anything sugary that sticks to the teeth. A dummy containing a sweet stuff or dipped in it is also very damaging to the child’s teeth. So, remember not to encourage the child to go in for sweets day in and day out. The sugar provided by fruits such as apple is dilute and is washed away easily. It may, in fact, help to cleanse the teeth. In any case, make sure that debris does not remain clung to the teeth. It may not be possible to brush the teeth after every eating session, but it is certainly not difficult to rinse the mouth properly. Do not delay to see the dentist if the child complains of a sensation of cold after taking a cold drink or ice cream, if he has toothache or if you detect a mark of decay in a tooth. It is of advantage to get filling done in a cavity irrespective of whether it is a temporary or permanent tooth. Do not ignore a bad temporary tooth. It may have to be removed if not cared for on time. That is likely to cause eruption of the permanent tooth in an undesirable position. A special type of caries seen in bottle-fed infants is called “nursing bottle caries” or “baby bottle tooth decay”.

4. Dental overcrowding can be checked Overcrowding of teeth looks dirty. It makes the teeth more vulnerable to collection of food particles and thus eventually to dental decay. It is advisable to have a regular dental check-up of the child after the age of three years. A visit to the dentist every six months is quite in order. Not only will he find out and fill if any cavity is formed, he will also be able to check any malocclusion of teeth. Remember, today malocculsion can even be corrected.

5. Meet With Expert All rights reserved COPYRIGHT © 2020themotherchild.com Copyright @ DrSurajGupte, MD, Chairman, Children’s Health Institute™A Pediatric Education Network Foundation Initiative The Chief of our panel of experts, Dr. SurajGupte, MD, FIAP, FSAMS (Sweden), FRSTMH (London), hails from the alumni of world-renowned Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, (PGI Chandigarh) India. At present, he is the Chairperson, Pediatric Education Network foundation and also Emeritus Professor & Head, Postgraduate Department of Pediatrics, MMC/ General and Super-specialty Hospitals, South India. DrGupte occupies a pride of place for outstanding contribution as pediatric educationist, author, researcher and innovator globally. DrSurajGupte, MD Chairman, Children’s Health Institute™ A Pediatric Education Network Initiative