Chewing gum protects sixth-year teeth

Children's permanent teeth begin to erupt around the age of 6, and the deciduous teeth are replaced one by one. By the age of 12, all 28 permanent teeth in the mouth have been replaced. This stage is called the tooth replacement period, which is a critical period for the growth of permanent teeth and the establishment of a good occlusal relationship. When faced with children's oral hygiene problems, many parents often hold the wrong idea that "baby teeth will always be replaced", and pay a heavy price for it. The results of the third national oral epidemiological survey showed that the prevalence of permanent tooth caries in 12-year-old children was 28.9%, of which 90% occurred in the sixth molars, while only 9% of parents knew what the sixth molars were.

A person's deciduous teeth usually come out at the age of 2 and a half. When the child is 5 or 6 years old, when the other permanent teeth have not yet grown, the first permanent tooth quietly grows behind the four upper and lower deciduous molars. This is the "six-year molar". Because it erupts early and does not replace any teeth, many parents mistakenly believe that it is a deciduous tooth and neglect to protect it.

In fact, the "six-year molars" are not only a "lifelong household registration", but also have a great significance. It is the tooth with the largest occlusal surface and bears 40% of the chewing pressure throughout life. Not only that, these four teeth are like the four concrete pillars of a house, supporting the entire oral space and helping to position the permanent teeth that will continue to erupt in the future. They play an important role in establishing bite relationships and maintaining facial shape for children. If the sixth molars are lost prematurely, not only will the child's chewing power decrease, but it will also cause the adjacent teeth to shift and tilt, induce bite disorders, and hinder the normal development of the child's face.

The sixth molars are strong players in grinding food, but they are not indestructible. Because they have many tooth cusps and the pits and grooves between the tooth cusps are numerous and deep, food residues can easily hide in them and be broken down into acid by bacteria, causing demineralization of the tooth enamel and the formation of tooth decay. If you want your child to have 32 healthy teeth throughout his life, you must start from an early age, raise the whole family's awareness of children's oral health, and urge children to develop and maintain good oral hygiene habits.

Tooth decay is caused by bacteria breaking down residual sugar in the mouth, which produces acid that slowly corrodes the teeth. Therefore, keeping the oral cavity in an acid-base balance is the key to prevention. In addition to basic brushing in the morning and evening, the role of saliva in cleaning, antibacterial, buffering, and promoting remineralization in the oral cavity should not be underestimated. Modern medical research shows that saliva can wash away food and other residues in the mouth, effectively degrade cell walls and inhibit bacterial growth; alkaline saliva can also neutralize the acid produced by plaque. It is one of the body's most powerful defense mechanisms and is essential for good oral health.

Not only that, saliva contains a large amount of trace elements, which can promote the remineralization of damaged enamel, thereby preventing further development of tooth decay. Therefore, "promoting body fluids" can not only "quench thirst", but also prevent moth damage. Saliva is the guardian of teeth, and chewing helps its secretion and protect teeth.

Studies have shown that chewing sugar-free gum is a very effective and sustained saliva promoter, which can increase saliva flow to 12 times the normal flow in the first minute after chewing, increase saliva pH and enhance buffering capacity. Therefore, "chewing sugar-free gum after meals and snacks" has become the most practical, effective, convenient and feasible tooth protection suggestion. Chewing sugar-free gum for 20 minutes after a meal or snack can keep the pH in the mouth at a safe level and significantly reduce the risk of tooth decay. For primary school students who have just entered the tooth replacement period, developing good oral hygiene habits and chewing sugar-free gum after meals and snacks will easily help them have healthy teeth.