Primary teeth(milk teeth or baby teeth)
Anaesthesia
Permanent teeth
The maintenance of primary teeth is just as important as that of permanent teeth. In spite of
all misconceptions primary teeth may hurt and decay just like the teeth of the adults (even the
teeth of babies, e.g. as a result of sugar added tea, etc.) and the pain tolerance of children
is lower than that of adults. Tooth decay is not hereditary, but there may be similarities as
regards tradition among the members of a family or the similarity of the bacterial flora in the
mouth may cause a greater disposition to tooth decay or periodontosis but by maintaining a proper
oral hygiene both can be prevented.
During the treatment children may receive local anaesthesia (in the form of an injection, as a
‘spray’ would not have any effect on teeth). Some children explicitly ask for it after having made
some experience in a dental surgery. When there is a cavity a filling has to be made, when the
caries reaches the dental pulp, a root canal treatment is needed. In some cases crowns and prostheses
may be prepared.
The methods used are different from how a permanent tooth would be treated and on
many occasions permanent teeth of children are treated in a different way as those of adults as well.
Prevention
Every tooth has to be treated!
Just like in case of any other illness it is true (and because we are dealing with children, even more so)
that prevention is much easier than treatment. The cleaning of the teeth of young children must be made by
the parents and they have to check them cleaning their teeth until they can perform it perfectly on their
own (a plaque locator tablet may be used to control the plaque.) A toothpaste with fluoride should only be
applied by children when they stop swallowing it (it is at about the age of 3), up until then teeth should
be cleaned without toothpaste, with brush only (in case of babies teeth should be wiped clean with a sterile
gauze).
Bad teeth of children should be treated in every case and as early as possible, maybe with the
exception of moving baby teeth which are about to fall out soon. Bad baby teeth do not corrupt permanent
teeth (apart from serious purulence) but by sustaining a damaging bacterial flora they have a negative effect
on their faith.
Orthodontics
Orthodontics should be started as early as possible as well, generally in the age of 6-11.
The degree of cooperation of children may vary but it also depends on how the child was brought up. It is
right if the child gets to know the dental surgery, the dentist, the assistant as soon as possible and it is
advisable that on the first occasion the child only makes the acquaintance with the dental surgery. It is
advisable to prepare the child already at home for what might happen but it should not be frightening. On many
occasions jokes of the parents terrify the unsuspecting little patient.
Tell them the truth!
We should speak about the unpleasant things to come; not saying ‘you won’t feel a thing’ if we know that it is not the case. If we lose the child’s trust, it will never believe anything the parent or the dentist may say and this way we may ruin the child’s so far positive attitude to dental treatments.