Archive for December 2011
Dental Health of Hispanic children
Each February, the American Dental Association (ADA) sponsors the national month for dental health of children to emphasize the importance of dental hygiene in children. The campaign’s main function is to emphasize the importance of dental hygiene, instill good dental health habits in children and encourage parents to bring their children regularly to the dentist. The campaign theme for 2010 is: “To have a bright smile, is important to brush and floss.”
The importance of dental health
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than a quarter of preschool children have tooth decay. Also, before age 19, almost 66% of children have cavities in their permanent teeth.
Available figures suggest that children from low-income and racial minorities are those who suffer from tooth decay. In fact, according to the National Survey of Children’s Health , Hispanic children are less likely to receive preventive dental care to children from other demographic groups, which is very worrying, because the preventive dental care reduces the chance of tooth decay and other conditions such as gingivitis (inflammation of the gums) and permanent loss of teeth. Read the rest of this entry »
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Tags: Dental Health, dentists in dental, Good dental health, Loss of teeth, public health programs | 
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Free dental avalanche Chilean children
Your child’s smile is one of the greatest gifts for a mother and therefore are important care of your teeth from the moment of birth. It is necessary to ensure good dental care and take the express warranty provides free dental care for children in Chile for six years. Dr. Maria Jose Letelier, advises the Department of Oral Health of the Ministry of Health, explains how to help your little one when they begin to sprout teeth and some recommendations for dental care of children.
Child dental protection programs
Within the so-called GES (Explicit Health Guarantees) of AUGE of Chile, is considered the care of the teeth of the children . From the moment of birth, your little protection has teeth for all types of ambulatory dental emergencies such as pulpitis, abscess or subperiosteal submucosal odontogenic origin, anatomical spaces abscess oral-maxillo-facial, pericoronitis acute oro-pharyngeal phlegmonous odontogenic origin , ulcer-necrotic gingivitis acute post-extraction complications. GES coverage is effective dental care for mothers FONASA affiliates, as for those who have other health provision, as Isapre.
At 6 years of the child , when I get ready to dump their milk teeth to permanent teeth develop, there is the Oral Health Guarantee Comprehensive boys and girls six years old. In this program the dentist performed comprehensive care free that includes education, prevention and recovery of damage to their teeth on stage child . The family must bear in mind that the care of their teeth is a behavior that children learn by imitation, so good oral hygiene in the mother, father and brothers, will affect dental adequate protection of children .
His first teeth
Dental protection your little should combine regular oral hygiene, a balanced and orderly with the use of fluoride toothpastes after two years. The first control dental recommended two years of age, but the life of your child’s teeth began much earlier. According to Dr. Letelier “the teeth of milk begin to form in the third week of pregnancy when the baby is born brings in the thickness of the jawbone, outbreaks of the 20 teeth of milk , and the outlines of what will give rise to permanent teeth. ” On average, the normal development of teeth in the infant stage begins with the outbreak of the milk teeth from six months. According to the specialist, during this time your little one will suffer more inconvenience and uncomfortable, so you should be aware of symptoms such as “increased the amount of saliva, a tendency to bite hard objects, swelling and redness of the gums, including there may be loss of appetite, restlessness and sleep light. “
You can help reduce your discomfort easily. It is advisable to give an object to bite hard consistency. There are special toys for this stage of your child’s teeth, however, if you do not have one solution could be in your show closer, it serves as a piece of seaweed clean and cold. When the baby already has his own teeth, as a mother can transmit bacteria or cavities in your mouth to the child, so it is important to take care of your teeth during pregnancy with special care to brush your teeth after every meal, because as said the doctor, the frequent “cravings” can promote the development of caries .
The right care
The children live in constant risk of cavities in their teeth often irreversible damage because they eat at odd times, higher consumption of sweets and do not yet have the correct handling of the toothbrush. Therefore, it is vital that you take the lead in prevention and protection of your child’s teeth. For Dr. Letelier is important to regular oral hygiene, “at least twice a day, especially at night brushing after the last meal of the day, since the production of saliva decreases at night, unable to protect our teeth as effectively as in the day. ” The recommended duration is three minutes, with gentle movements to ensure the removal of plaque from the teeth and tongue for both children and adults.
The use of fluoride toothpaste will help protect against dental caries little after two years, but must be present and supervise their use so as not to swallow it before. A diet low in sugar, moderate consumption of soft drinks, with at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day, six to eight glasses of water and ordered a meal time also facilitates the healthy life of your child’s teeth, so you can ensure the protection dentistry during their childhood . Follow these recommendations for the care of your teeth will let you know that every time your little one gives you a smile you can be proud of your joy and your mouth healthy.
Children’s Oral Health
The oral hygiene habits that need to instill in the child since she is newly born.
Even without teeth, it is important that residues of formula or breast milk to be removed to avoid causing infection. On the other hand, get into the habit any longer, so that the child really and truly learn it becomes a habit.
Now, as baby is well and has no teeth, is indicated to clean the gums with a clean wet gauze. When the first tooth, it’s time to start using the toothbrush, which has a head the size of three baby teeth maximum. The bristles should be soft, flexible and rounded.
The areas where the baby still has no teeth should be cleaned with gauze yet. Brushing should be circular movements touching the gums and little teeth, inside and out. Toothpaste is not recommended, because the baby tends to swallow the toothpaste, which promotes the appearance of stains on teeth.
The easiest and safest to wash my baby’s teeth, is placed on a horizontal surface. The bathroom is not the best place, because there are distractions for the child, and also the surface is slippery. Hold your child’s head with one hand, and the other appropriate cleaning.
Periodontal disease in children
Many people think that gum disease is a problem that only affects adults. However, studies indicate that gingivitis (the first stage of periodontal disease) is nearly universally in children and adolescents. Advanced forms of periodontal disease are more rare in children than in adults but can occur.
Types of periodontal disease in children
Chronic Gingivitis: it is common in children. Usually causes inflammation of the gingival tissue, which becomes red and bleed easily. Gingivitis can be prevented and treated with a regular routine dental care, brushing, the flossing and professional care. However, if allowed to proceed, it may eventually evolve into forms of periodontal disease more severe. Periodontitis Aggressive can affect the young people who are completely healthy in other respects. Localized aggressive periodontitis in adolescents and young adults and mainly affects the first molars and incisors. It is characterized by severe loss of alveolar bone, but at the same time, patients generally form very little dental plaque or calculus.
Generalized aggressive periodontitis: may begin around puberty and involve the entire mouth. It is characterized by inflammation of the gums and the large accumulation of plaque and calculus. Can eventually lead to tooth mobility and subsequent loss. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Children Dental Care | Tags: brushing and flossing, Oral hygiene, parents dentist | No Comments »
Dental care for children with congenital heart disease
Healthy teeth are important for all children, but in the special case of our son, who suffers from heart disease is even more important. If the germs that live normally in the mouth get into the bloodstream, they can reach your heart, a heart defect is due to its easier to infect a healthy heart.
According to the Foundation Hearts Giblets, recent comparative studies among healthy children and children with heart problems have shown that parents of children with heart problems are less important and less attention to dental care for parents of healthy children. Results are very worrying if we consider that healthy teeth in children with heart disease is even more important than in healthy children. If the germs that live normally in the mouth get into the bloodstream, they can reach your heart . Infection in the heart, called “infective endocarditis” is a very serious disease that requires treatment in hospital with antibiotics for several days. This is why we must take special care to keep your mouth clean and healthy. To avoid such unwanted infections and their consequences, the Spanish Society of Pediatric Cardiology and Congenital Heart Disease recommends a few simple tips:
Teeth cleaning. You have to brush your teeth properly after every meal. In very young children when they begin teething (between 6 and 16 months of age) is recommended to clean the mouth once a day with gauze soaked in water. The best time is before you put him to bed at night. When I go to have more teeth (2 years) you have to use special soft toothbrush for children, and ye are parents, you have to take care of the cleaning, and help the child until you know it alone (7 years of age). When the child is older, you can use dental floss to complete the cleaning of the teeth. Fluorine . It is best to use a fluoridated toothpaste, but a small amount (about the size of a pea). It is important to teach your child to spit out the toothpaste, because much swallow fluoride is bad for him. While the child does not know spit out the toothpaste and not swallow it, it will be without fluoride. All children need fluoride to prevent cavities. Generally, the tap water we drink and wearing it, but you must ensure this by asking your dentist. If your drinking water has no fluoride (0.6 ppm) can give a pill, but assure you that not too much, it would also be harmful. Food . You must choose foods that do not have much sugar. Remember that fruits and vegetables are better than candy and cookies. It is better for children to eat a few sweets and candies, but if they ever do is very important to clean your teeth afterwards. You should also avoid sugary drinks, like juices and sodas. It is better to teach them to drink water.
Bottles and pacifiers . No baby to get used to going to bed with a bottle, but if needed, used a bottle of water or unsweetened chamomile. Milk, juice and sweet drinks such as sodas have sugar, and drink a bottle of this liquid, eventually cause cavities. It can be used to quiet the baby bottle as a pacifier. The child must eat in their hours. If you use pacifiers, never smeared in sweet (sugar, honey, condensed milk …) as this is a very common cause of tooth decay in children. Around the first year and you should teach your child to drink in a glass and leave the bottle. Read the rest of this entry »