Dental health has a decisive influence on the overall physical well-being. If you don’t take care of your dental hygiene, you can expect painful consequences that can affect you far beyond the jaw. Inflamed gums and teeth are riddled with bacteria that can spread throughout the body via the extensive network of blood vessels. Bacteria responsible for tooth root inflammation can even cause inflammation in the sinuses or heart valves.
When dead teeth take a toll on the immune system
Chronic gum inflammation is suspected of promoting heart attacks and strokes. This is the conclusion of the Swedish case-control study PAROKRANK. One major reason lies in the body’s reaction: If the bacteria enter the bloodstream, they can cause blood clots, which in turn can cause serious damage to the heart and brain. Why do inflamed teeth harm the organism? If nerves in the tooth are dead, the decay of a tooth begins. In the process, an environment develops that is ideal for bacteria. They nest in the jawbone, which as a result has foci of inflammation. In the worst case, the inflammation becomes chronic. Chronic inflammation weakens the entire immune system, because the bacteria and pathogens spread throughout the body via the bloodstream. Tissue and other organs can be affected. To prevent this from happening, children should be introduced to regular dental care. If dental care is established as a fixed part of everyday life, the risk of gingivitis, caries and the associated health-damaging consequences is reduced.
Prophylaxis for babies
Teeth are already established in the unborn child during pregnancy. A balanced diet of the expectant mother ensures healthy tooth development. After birth, the child is often provided with breast milk, from which it also absorbs minerals that are important for the formation of teeth. Even before the first teeth appear, parents should be attentive to the issue of dental health. Microorganisms settle in the still toothless mouth of a baby. The oral mucosa provides a welcome base for them. Most microorganisms are harmless, others are even important for a healthy oral flora, but there are also microorganisms that cause caries. Proper oral hygiene is therefore particularly important for a baby. Caution: Danger from adults
In the saliva of parents or others, there are bacteria that can cause problems in the child’s mouth. They can throw the oral flora out of balance. The transfer of bacteria usually happens unconsciously and automatically, for example by licking the dropped spoon or pacifier to “clean” the utensils and putting them back into the child’s mouth. In principle, there is nothing wrong with this, but parents should be aware that caries-causing bacteria can get into their baby’s mouth in this way. When in doubt, it is healthier to rinse the utensils with water instead of wetting them with adult saliva.
Dental health in infants
If babies and toddlers suck their thumbs, they are at risk of jaw malformation and misaligned teeth. While pacifier sucking is also not beneficial, it is less harmful than thumb sucking because less force is applied to the jaw and teeth. Jaw-friendly sucking therefore means sucking on a pacifier. Parents should also make sure that their baby does not suck on the bottle all the time. If the bottle is filled with liquid, it should not contain sugar. If there is only water in the bottle, caution may still be necessary. This is because water dilutes the saliva, which dilutes the protective shield and in turn gives bacteria easier access to the oral mucosa to cause damage. Once the first teeth are in place, the baby should only eat unsweetened and acid-free drinks and foods. The first teeth are particularly sensitive to the danger posed by contact with sugar and acid. The effect is particularly problematic at night because it is more intense than during the day. During the day, the body produces more saliva and protects the teeth. At night, saliva production is throttled, so aggressive acids can cause greater damage.With this in mind, the so-called sedative bottle is not a good choice in the evening to fall asleep, and regardless of what drink is in the bottle.
| Tip: These tips for parents, published by the German Dental Association, clearly summarize other important instructions for action regarding prophylaxis in children. |
Dental care should be a matter of course
Parents should show their children that brushing their teeth is an everyday routine that comes naturally, just like sleeping and eating. Children adopt good dental hygiene from their parents practically automatically, as they tend to imitate them. The same applies to visits to the dentist. Parents should take their children to their own dental appointments at an early age. Ideally, this should be a dental practice that places a high value on prophylaxis and has a focus on pediatric dentistry. This applies, for example, to Zahnvilla Wassenberg. This offers parents and children get-to-know-you sessions. In this way, children learn in a playful way what prophylaxis means. In addition, their fear of the dentist‘s equipment, the dentist, the treatment room and the entire process in the dentist’s chair is taken away. A later visit to the dentist is then much more relaxed for the little patients and they are not frightened in the strange environment. Anyone looking for a specialist with a focus on pediatric dentistry can conduct specific research on the website of the relevant dental association in their state, as is offered, for example, at the Hesse State Dental Association.
Brushing baby teeth
See parents the first teeth poke through the jaw, the procedure of brushing teeth with aids starts. A real toothbrush is not yet necessary, a damp cotton swab or a fingerstall made of rubber or cellulose will do the job. On the aid parents put fluoride toothpaste, which has a low concentration. The percentage of fluoride should be less than 0.05%. For the small mouth, a small amount about the size of a pea is sufficient. Fluoride promotes the incorporation of minerals into the enamel, which improves the protective layer. If the enamel is well developed, the teeth are more resistant to caries.
| Tip: Parents are best to avoid toothpaste with a sweet taste, so as not to encourage children to swallow. |
Practicing regular tooth brushing
At an early age, parents should start daily tooth brushing as a habit. If the child accepts the procedure, parents can add it to the routine in the morning and evening. From the age of 2-3 years, children should already brush their teeth themselves. It is true that fine motor skills are not yet sufficiently developed, so that parents have to brush additionally. As a rule, however, children have learned to brush their teeth on their own by the time they start school. From then on, the toothbrushing ritual can be established together in the morning and evening in front of the bathroom mirror as a fixed part of the daily routine.
