Dental caries (tooth decay) is one of the most common and persistent diseases found in humans and causing rising concerns. According to experts, dental caries or cavities found in the teeth are caused by a combination of factors including bacteria in the mouth, frequent eating of soft foods, sipping on sugary drinks and not brushing teeth well.
According to Dr Bargavi Balamurugan, Dental Surgeon at Al Amal Medical Centre in Muscat, dental caries result from a progressive demineralisation on the tooth surface.
“Bacteria naturally builds up in a children’s mouth, forming a sticky substance called plaque that can cost the teeth. Whenever a child eats food, bacteria within the plaque layer produce acids which are a major cause of erosion of hard tooth enamel of caries’’, she said.
“Teething symptoms are many. Some of them will be irritable, cry a lot and will have trouble sleeping, on the other hand the child will see usual saliva droops from his mouth compared with the normal situation. Also the temperature rises very slightly but if the temperature rises to 38 degrees or more consult a doctor immediately. Also, if the child has high temperature, vomiting or diarrhoea during teething, consult your doctor to see if he or she has a medical condition that requires treatment’’, Dr Balamurugan said.
In general babies start teething between the age of six months to twelve months however there are range of differences from one baby to another, some babies don’t have any teeth in the age of one year and the first tooth appears at the age of six months where the front teeth begin to appear first than the others follow and most children often complete their teeth when they are three years.
Primitive teeth begin to appear first then replaced one by one starting at the age of six years with permanent teeth by age of three after that a child gets 20 deciduous teeth. Milk teeth have thinner enamel and appear whiter than permanent teeth, also they are susceptible to decay and damage when the permanent teeth begin to appear initially they have wavy edges and then their shape gradually adjusts overtime. The order of appearance of milk teeth is the lower teeth usually appear before the upper teeth in the following pattern where the central incisors appear first then the lateral incisors then the first molars then canines and finally the second molars.
“Keep the child’s mouth clean by wiping the gums with clean cloth. Once you see the first teeth they should be brushed with a soft toothbrush. Also don’t leave a bottle or a sippy cup in the mouth of an infant to drink from for a long time. Teach the child to drink from a regular cup as soon as possible, preferably from 12 to 15 months. Reduce sticky food which contains sugars. Juice is not recommended for children under 6 months’ age. If juice is given to children between 6 to 12 months it should be diluted with water (half water, half juice). It’s recommended to visit the dentist to check the teeth of infants before the age of one year’’, she said.
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