Importance of Paediatric Dental Care
Every child deserves a beautiful healthy smile long before adulting.
It is important for the child to have good early paediatric dental care as a part of their overall health because dental infections which can result from poor oral hygiene, poor dietary practice can result in debilitating disease. Early dental visits help in detecting caries, abnormality in growth and development, prevents dental anxiety overall instil a positive attitude, building confidence and boosts positive self image.
FIRST DENTAL VISIT
First visit of child to a dental clinic must be as soon as the teeth erupts in oral cavity, that is, six months of age. This visit is an introductory session where dentist assesses the child, the child assesses the dentist and the dental environment.
Patience and calmness on the part of parent and reassuring communications with child are very important.
In short, first appointment mainly focuses on making the child comfortable that helps in reducing fear and anxiety and ensuring children that dental visits can be fun and positive.
ROLE OF PAEDIATRIC DENTIST
Early detection of tooth decay, malocclusion, facial deformity, habits are rule out by dentist, they inform and guide parents in breaking harmful oral habits gently and effectively and motivate children to have a clean healthy smile. Teaching children on how to brush and floss correctly and having proper balanced diet leads to healthy happy smiles.
Paediatric dentist plays a crucial role in educating both parents and children about proper oral hygiene measures as they are specialised in children oral health needs and behaviour. Parent should ensure that these habits are performed on daily routine.
The teamwork between parents and paediatric dentist overall shapes the child wellbeing.
BENEFITS OF REGULAR VISITS
EARLY DETECTION OF DENTAL DECAY- Bacteria invades the enamel of the primary teeth that leads to decay or cavity. If left untreated they can destroy the other layers of teeth and can possibly lead to toothache.
PREVENTIVE CARE- These treatment helps to protect the teeth from cavities. This includes fluoride application, professional cleaning, restoration of decayed teeth and sealant to protect the teeth.
BREAKING HARMFUL HABITS –Habits such as thumb sucking, tongue thrusting, mouth breathing, bruxism, self -injurious habits can be detected and effectively stopped if continued for a long time,
PROPER ORAL HYGIENE MEASURES- Dental hygiene routine includes proper technique of brushing, flossing, the amount of toothpaste used, to have balanced diet, all together improve child’s oral cavity,
ORTHODONTIC NEEDS- Interceptive orthodontics detects abnormal growth patterns and can eliminate the need of complex orthodontic treatment. These detections help in guide growth of jaw and eruption of permanent teeth properly.
Child experience pain, difficulty in eating, low at energy and speech difficulty, that leads to social anxiety in turn affects on academic performance, thus prioritizing regular dental checkups are very important.
Conclusion
Children who develop good oral hygiene routine will most often carry these routines well into their adult life. An understanding of the developmental tasks and behaviour to a certain age groups detects any deviation from these pattern.
The goal is to instil lifelong habits and promote beautiful, confident and cavity free smiles that last a lifetime Studies shows that there is a intimate relationship between oral and systemic health. Childs oral health is not just about their teeth and gums, it overall has an impact on their general wellbeing, both emotional and physical health. Beyond cavities, poor oral health can lead to various hidden health issues.