Many people think that their children’s tooth care and oral health comes into effect when they start to have teeth break through the gums. This is really a false statement and the health of their gums and developing teeth happen when the child is born. The children have teeth that are developing in their gums that will eventually push through. This means that the teeth are already being developed far before they show up. You need to be sure that you are brushing and massaging the gums from birth. As soon as the teeth start to show up it is of utmost importance to care for them just like you do your permanent adult teeth. The child for several years will need help of an adult to brush and floss to ensure that all the food particles are removed. Small infant and even toddlers often drink milk and juice which can lead to tooth decay.
Smile Reef Explains What Dental Fluorosis is & How it Develops On Your Children’s Teeth
What is Dental Fluorosis?: When people talk about fluorosis they are talking about mottled enamel. That is the term that is used because of the part of the tooth that is damaged. The disorder is actually very common and is found on many adults and children. The most common type of fluorosis is very mild and will show up as small white patches of color on the tooth. The worse the damage is the more of the tooth is covered with the white markings. If you have a more severe type of fluorosis you may see brown stains and damage to the actual tooth.
What Causes Dental Fluorosi?: There are some studies as to why fluorosis occurs and what causes it and there are a few options that are common. One is the amount of fluoride that a child has been exposed to during the growth and development of their teeth. This occurs when the child is between birth and about six years of age. Some of the ways that a child can be exposed to fluoride is when they are using dental products. Some mouthwash has fluoride and other toothpastes as well. Fluoride is also common in water. Your town or city may add fluoride to the water that you use to make baby bottles and cooking. Although the staining on the teeth is not appealing aesthetically, it is not normally a reason to be concerned.
Dental Fluorosis Prevention & Treatment: Fluorosis cannot be known until it really is too late. The damage is done before you ever see a tooth appear. Once the damage appears, the dentist may offer some remedies to help reduce the look of the fluorosis. We may offer teeth whitening, crowns or resin molds to cover the damaged teeth. The better option is to limit the amount of fluoride that you child is exposed to from birth.
Expert Pediatric Dentisty
Smile Reef offers pediatric dental exams and treatments so contact our office today.
