What to do if your child has caries in their baby teeth

Dental caries, also known as tooth decay, is a dental problem that many children have and is also a relatively serious oral problem. When this problem occurs again, parents need to pay attention to it in time, because tooth decay has a particularly great impact on children. If not treated in time, it may cause toothache symptoms or other health problems. So, how to treat caries in children’s deciduous teeth?

1. How to treat caries in deciduous teeth

1. Drug treatment is mostly used for shallow caries with a relatively wide area of ​​caries damage or ring-shaped caries with exfoliation on the tooth surface. It can control the further development of caries, but cannot restore the appearance of the teeth.

2. The biggest advantage of restorative treatment is that it can remove diseased tissue, restore the appearance of teeth, and improve chewing function. Filling therapy is commonly used to repair tooth defects, such as filling cavities with materials such as silver-mercury alloy, composite resin, and glass ionomer, which is a relatively widely used method in clinical practice.

3. Inlay treatment and crown restoration treatment are less used in restorative treatment. They can better restore the tooth shape and normal function, and are not prone to further caries. However, the operation is complicated, costly, and time-consuming, and it is not yet popularized and is only carried out in some teaching hospitals.

4. Space maintainer: For prematurely lost deciduous teeth, in order to ensure that there is enough space for the corresponding permanent teeth to erupt in the future, a space maintainer is made after the baby's teeth are lost prematurely to maintain the normal physiological space of the missing teeth, prevent the adjacent teeth from tilting toward the lost position and the opposing teeth from elongating, and ensure the normal eruption of the corresponding permanent teeth.

2. What to do if you have caries in your deciduous teeth

1. Eat a light diet and avoid spicy and irritating foods.

2. Pay attention to oral hygiene and brush your teeth frequently. Mothers should take the time to communicate with their babies about the importance of brushing teeth and help them master the correct method of brushing teeth. They should thoroughly remove dirt from the gaps between teeth and in the small pits on the tooth surface. Each brushing should last no less than 2-3 minutes.

3. You can go to the dental department for soothing treatment to relieve pain symptoms.

4. Babies should eat less snacks and eat harder fiber-rich foods regularly, such as scones, vegetables, and fruits. They should get rid of the bad habit of picky eating and eat less soft foods.

3. How to prevent tooth decay in baby’s deciduous teeth?

1. Stop night feedings

Many tooth decays are caused by nighttime feeding, so if you just want your baby to sleep well, you can feed your baby water instead. If your baby really wants to drink milk, remember to burp him after drinking to avoid milk remaining in his mouth.

2. Try using a straw

When your baby is old enough, try using a straw to feed your baby instead of a bottle or breastfeeding to keep his teeth from being soaked in milk for too long.

3. Keep your teeth clean

When your baby starts to grow teeth, you must clean his teeth every day. You can use a damp soft cloth or a finger toothbrush to clean his teeth. Wait until your baby is 18 months old before trying to brush his teeth with a toothbrush.

4. Be careful when taking medication

If your baby accidentally gets sick, be careful when taking medicine. Sweet syrups may cause tooth decay in your baby, so let your baby drink some water after taking the medicine to clean his teeth.