A child’s face is a precious window into the world of innocence and carefree living. This face should emanate radiance, excitement, self confidence, and happiness.
Sadly though, due to oral health problems in children, there are frowns and tears where bright smiles and laughter should be.
Discolored, decayed, and abscessed teeth are not only painful to children, but also damaging to their self esteem, causing social and psychological problems. Establishing the knowledge that oral health and general health go hand in hand, affecting each other is essential in treating oral health problems in children.
Vitamin deficiencies, bacterial, viral, fungal infections, congenital conditions, and child abuse are just several key medical issues that can be detected by a child’s oral health status. In the same way, a child’s oral health issue can greatly affect an underlying medical condition. Medications for anti anxiety, antihistamines, decongestants, and non steroid anti-inflammatory medication can directly or in directly affect a child’s oral health.
Understanding of how a child’s medical and oral health are intertwined will better help medical professionals determine causes of oral health problems in children and how those issues affect a child’s overall health. Children who suffer from oral health problems are more likely than their peers to have a difficulty completing school work due to an inability to focus on the task at hand. These children are prone to multiple absences from school as a result of their oral health problems.
Impaired speech development and being unable to concentrate in an early learning environment also play key roles in oral health problems for children. These children become disadvantaged in the educational community, a social environment, due to an oral health issue. Having poor oral health directly affects the overall well being and mental health of children affected.
Children with oral health issues often exhibit difficulty in chewing food.
Therefore, they often lack the essential vitamins and nutrients needed for growth and development. There is a reluctance to smile, laugh, or show any sort of emotion out of embarrassment because of the appearance of their teeth. This has a direct affect on a child’s self esteem. Oral health problems also lead to a difficulty in sleeping and missed opportunities for learning. These issues directly affect a child’s social behavior.
One of the most common types of oral health problems in children is tooth decay. This preventable oral health problem has become one of the most common chronic infectious diseases among children in the United States. Approximately 28% of children ages 2 to 5 years old have already experienced at least one episode of tooth decay in their primary teeth. Children from low income families are the most vulnerable for tooth decay.
Basically, tooth decay is the breakdown of hard tissues found on the outer surface of a tooth. When the breakdown occurs, a soft cavity is formed inside the tissue creating a hole on the tooth. The primary cause of tooth decay is the presence of bacteria that grows because of sugary food debris left on the tooth. The bacteria grow into plaque that systematically attacks the tooth enamel until a hole, or cavity, has been formed.
Tooth decay is most often detected by a child’s sudden sensitivity to hot, cold, or very sweet food. Minor decay can be treated by a good tooth brushing session to eliminate the plaque build up. Other more serious occurrences of tooth decay should be checked by a health care professional.
Another form of tooth decay is - Baby Bottle Tooth Decay. This type of tooth decay affects the upper front teeth and both the upper and lower back teeth of infants. Premature loss of an infant’s primary teeth is a direct result of Baby Bottle Tooth Decay.
The ability to chew food, speak, and have a beautiful smile are all important factors in a child’s oral health. In addition to these things, baby teeth hold a space in the jaw for adult teeth to come in one day. When premature loss of primary teeth occurs, as in Baby Bottle Tooth Decay, surrounding teeth have the opportunity to slip into the lost tooth’s place.
Gingivitis is quickly becoming a leading form of oral health problems for children. This is the most common type of periodontal health problem in children. An inadequate oral hygiene regime is the cause of this problem. When bacteria that is present in plaque is allowed to build up, it begins to irritate the gums. This causes infection. As a natural response, the child’s body sends out an immune response against the infection. The gums become inflamed and begin to swell, turn red and bleed.
Tooth Decay, Baby Bottle Tooth Decay, and Gingivitis are preventable and treatable. Parents simply need to establish oral hygiene guidelines that call for regular maintenance of their children’s teeth. These guidelines can be simple. All that is needed for the best defense against these oral health problems is a regular routine of brushing, flossing, and a visit to the oral health professional. The mental, physical, and oral health of children depends on it!
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