How time flies! It seems like only yesterday when you were waking up at ungodly hours to tend to your teething tots. Now that you’re past all the crying spells, you face another issue – early childhood dental caries.
Also called tooth decay or cavities, it’s “the most widespread non-communicable disease” and a “major public health problem globally,” according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Did you know early childhood cavities can develop even before your child reaches one year old? While their baby teeth will eventually fall off, preventing tooth decay in children is paramount to the health of their permanent teeth.
Below, learn more about cavities and discover tips to protect your brood from them.
What are dental caries?
Also known as dental or tooth decay, dental caries is a disease that develops when a sticky layer of bacteria known as plaque forms on your teeth, then turns the sugar from what you eat or drink into acid. This then begins to damage your teeth, causing cavities (small holes) to form.
You’ll see tooth decay in children as well as adults. In Australia, a third of adults over the age of 15 has untreated dental caries, according to the Department of Health and Aged Care. Meanwhile, one in three children show evidence of tooth decay in their baby teeth by the time they are five years old.
Common symptoms of tooth decay include:
- Tooth pain or sensitivity (especially when consuming hot or cold food or drinks)
- Tooth stains, usually white, brown, or black in colour
- Red or swollen gums near decayed teeth
What causes dental caries in early childhood?
Before we dive into safeguarding your child’s smile, you may want to learn what causes dental caries. This oral health issue results from a number of factors, which triggers the overpopulation of the bacteria Streptococcus mutans in the mouth. These microorganisms are notorious for producing acids that attack the pearl-like surface of the teeth called enamel.
However, bacteria alone can’t take all the blame. WHO confirms: “Dental caries develops when bacteria in the mouth metabolise sugars to produce acid that demineralises the hard tissues of the teeth (enamel and dentine).”
According to the FDI World Dental Federation, those sugars can come from natural sugars within fruits, vegetables, and milk. Or, they can be free sugars, like those naturally present in honey, syrups, and fruit juices or those added to foods and beverages by the manufacturer. “Without sugars, dental caries does not occur,” emphasises the FDI.
“Early childhood caries often begin[s] as white spot lesions on the upper maxillary incisor teeth,” explains a study published by the Journal of Primary Health Care. Parents or guardians can identify these by lifting their child’s lips and checking for “areas that appear whiter than the surrounding enamel, or for brown discoloration and or cavitations.”
How to prevent dental caries in early childhood
Treating dental caries in children is a challenge, not to mention costly. Extracting a decayed tooth can also be a frightening experience for your child. Plus, prematurely removing baby teeth can lead to permanent teeth erupting crookedly.
So, prevention is the name of the game. Here’s how you can help provide your child with the best defence against cavities.
Use the right amount of toothpaste.
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare recommends wiping children’s teeth or gently brushing them as soon as they erupt. Parents can introduce toothpaste from 18 months of age. However, it’s crucial to follow the recommended dosage guidelines.
Dentists recommend using a toothpaste amount equivalent to a rice grain for children under three years old and a pea-sized portion for ages three to six.
No bottles before bed.
As we all know, baby bottles have developed a reputation for causing dental caries. One Dental Journal study reveals that frequent bottle-feeding increases the chances of tooth decay in children. When you put your child to bed with a bottle of formula, the sugar in milk lingers inside the mouth, allowing bacteria to invade the enamel as the baby sleeps.
To lower the risk of cavities, feed your little one during mealtimes. If they need to eat at night, it’s wise to clean their mouth and teeth after. Giving them a pacifier whenever they’re fussy also helps, but don’t dip it in honey or jam.
Avoid sharing utensils.
If you’re dealing with dental caries, chances are you’ll pass it along to your offspring. Remember the acid-producing bacteria? They don’t occur magically, and babies aren’t born with them. Research shows that mums (more so than dads) transfer these microorganisms from kissing their child on the mouth and eating from the same spoon.
For parents, you can reduce the transmission of bacteria by maintaining good oral hygiene. Refrain from sharing the same utensils and toothbrushes with your kids. And gently move their hands away if they try to stick them in your mouth.
Choose alternatives to sweet snacks.
In a perfect world, children would prefer munching on veggies rather than lollies. But in reality, sweets hold an undeniable allure for these young foodies. Unfortunately, forbidding them from eating candies and chocolates only makes them crave these treats even more. So, your best approach is to offer them healthier (but just as yummy!) alternatives.
Some ideas you can try are frozen fruit pops, trail mix, carrots and dips, and smoothie bowls. Snacks made from unsweetened dairy products like cheese and yoghurt are also good options.
Remember this recommendation from the FDI – “for pre-school and young children, free sugars intake should be proportional to that of teenagers, about 30 g per person per day.”
Help them brush their teeth.
When teaching your kids how to prevent dental caries in early childhood, nagging them to brush and floss is simply not enough. In most cases, they lack the coordination and patience to hold the toothbrush at the right angle and move it thoroughly around their mouths. So, lend a helping hand and guide them in proper brushing techniques.
Schedule dental checkups twice a year.
The Australian Dental Association advises taking your children to the dentist when their first tooth emerges and twice a year thereafter. These checkups help identify potential issues like dental caries at an early stage. Plus, every visit to the dentist allows your child to overcome their fear of the unknown and avoid developing dental anxiety.
A healthy relationship with an oral health care provider also prepares your kiddo for a brighter future. They’ll be more proactive in keeping their teeth in tip-top shape. And they likely won’t hesitate to undergo orthodontic treatments, like braces or ClearCorrect aligners, once they’re older.
Dental caries complications
Tooth decay in children can affect their general development and nutrition, as well as their speech and jaw development.
Untreated tooth decay can lead to:
- Pain
- Tooth abscess
- Swelling or pus around a tooth
- Damage or broken teeth
- Chewing problems
Can you get rid of dental caries?
While tooth decay can be prevented or halted in its progress, the damage it does cannot be reversed beyond some of its earliest stages.
The first visible sign of dental caries is a white spot on the tooth where minerals have been lost after acid attacks cause enamel erosion. If you’re able to stop tooth decay in its tracks at this point, there’s still a chance to reverse the damage. Minerals from your saliva, fluoride from toothpaste, and more can help your enamel repair itself.
However, allowing dental caries to progress past this point can result in irreversible loss of minerals and damage to the enamel. Once a cavity, or hole, forms, this is considered permanent damage that can be repaired with a filling. So, prioritising good dental health from an early age can save your kids from future pain and time-consuming and expensive treatments.
Preventing issues like tooth decay in children takes discipline, but it’s worth the effort. Instill good oral hygiene habits from a young age to set the foundation for a lifetime of healthy smiles!
References:
Australia’s children, Dental health. (2022). Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW).
Children’s oral health. (2022). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Damle, S. G., Yadav, R., Garg, S., Dhindsa, A., Beniwal, V., Loomba, A., Chatterjee, S. (2016). Transmission of mutans streptococci in mother-child pairs. Indian Journal of Medical Research, 144(2), 264-270.
Early childhood caries: a New Zealand perspective. (2014). Journal of Primary Health Care.
Gao, X. L., Hsu, C. Y. S., Loh, T., Koh, D., Hwamg, H. B., Xu, Y. (2009). Dental caries prevalence and distribution among preschoolers in Singapore. Community Dent Health, 26(1), 12-7.
Oral health and dental care in Australia. (n.d.). Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.
Preventing tooth decay in children and teenagers. (2020). National Library of Medicine.
Rizal, M. F., Sutadi, H., Bachtiar, B. M., Bachtiar, E. (2010). The frequency of bottle feeding as the main factor of baby bottle tooth decay syndrome. Dental Journal, 43(1), 44-48.
Sugars and dental caries. (2016). FDI World Dental Federation.
Sugars and dental caries. (2017). World Health Organization.
Teething chart—When the teeth come marching in. (n.d.). Australian Dental Association.
Telgi, R. L., Yadav, V., Telgi, C. R., Boppana, N. (2013). In vivo dental plaque pH after consumption of dairy products. General Dentistry, 61(3), 56-9.
The tooth decay process: How to reverse it and avoid a cavity. (n.d.). National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research.
Tooth decay. (n.d.). Australian Dental Association.
Tooth decay. (n.d.). Australian Government, Department of Health and Aged Care.
