What are the consequences of children's tooth decay?

Children's teeth are very critical in the development process, and this period is the best time for tooth development. If no attention is paid, many children may have crooked teeth or dental diseases when they grow up. Tooth decay is the most common condition in children. Parents should correct it in time after discovering it. Most children suffer from tooth decay due to falling down due to playing, and some of them suffer from tooth decay due to their love of sweets and lack of attention to oral hygiene. Over time, children's teeth will become rotten and poorly developed, and may eventually lead to more serious consequences, which are immeasurable.

Mild caries affects chewing function. Severe dental caries, or untreated dental caries, can continue to develop and cause complications such as pulp disease, periodontitis, and jaw inflammation, and may even become oral lesions, affecting overall health. Dental caries is the leading cause of tooth loss in children. Early tooth loss in children not only hinders digestive function, but also affects the normal development of the maxillofacial area.

Periodontal disease is the most common oral disease and is a general term for various diseases of the periodontal tissue, mainly including various types of gingivitis, gingival hyperplasia, periodontitis, periodontal atrophy, etc. Periodontal disease is a chronic destructive disease of the tissues surrounding the teeth. Usually, the main symptom in the early stages is gingival bleeding, which can be manifested as bleeding when brushing teeth, bloody saliva in the morning, swollen gums, bad breath, gingival atrophy, and tooth allergies to irritating foods. As the disease worsens, gingival pus discharge, chewing weakness, loose teeth, and recurrent periodontal abscesses will occur in the later stages, eventually leading to the loosening and falling of multiple teeth in the mouth.

Enzymes produced by periodontal bacteria can accelerate the formation of blood clots in the body. When periodontal bacteria enter the blood, they prompt the human body to produce a gelatinous protein that acts like platelets, forming blood clots, blocking blood vessels, and leading to heart disease and stroke. It has been reported that the risk of coronary heart disease and stroke in patients with periodontitis is 1.4 times and 2.1 times that of those with normal periodontal conditions, respectively. In recent years, researchers have detected Helicobacter pylori in dental plaque and saliva, and found that the detection rate of Helicobacter pylori in the plaque of patients with periodontal disease is higher than that in those with healthy periodontal tissues. Helicobacter pylori is the pathogen of chronic gastritis, gastric ulcer and even gastric cancer.

Bad teeth can also lead to kidney infection. Data once showed that nearly 20% of all periodontal disease patients suffer from kidney disease.