For Children

While all dentistry applications are classified, we can group them under 2 main headings as “preventive/interceptive applications” and “treatment applications”.

Approaches in preventive dentistry applications differ in children and adults.

Preventive dentistry in children starts 6 months after the first milk tooth erupts and continues until adulthood. Preventive dentistry is not only a set of principles involving the child and dentist, but also it is of vital importance to include the parents in cooperation.

The parents have the following tasks;
- Taking the children for regular dentist visits
- Monitoring the development and eruption process of the teeth
- Getting the children adopt the habit of brushing teeth in line with the dentist’s advice
- Getting the children adopt the habit of having a healthy nutrition
- Preventing bad habits (nail-biting, thumbsucking and tongue sucking)

The dentist interested in the following subjects;
- Fissure sealants
- Fluorine application
- Interceptive orthodontic approaches
- Caries risk assessment.

In all these applications and approaches, the parents should be in cooperation with the dentist.

How should nutrition be in children for healthy teeth?

In order to protect oral and dental health, children should not consume foods that may stay on the tooth surface and produce acid, such as sugar and chocolate.

Fluorine Application in Children;
It has been reported that the application of fluorine in milk and permanent teeth increases the mineral structure of the teeth and the defense power against bacteria causing caries. Superficial fluorine can be applied once a year from the age of 4 years old.

What is a fissure sealant?
Generally, the risk of caries in the grooves on the chewing surfaces of the posterior teeth (1st and 2nd molars, permanent 1st molars) is higher than in the other surfaces. With the fissure sealant application, these grooves which are prone to the nutrient accumulation and thus caries formation are covered, a flat and smooth surface is obtained and the risk of caries is eliminated. In the fissure sealant applications, the best time is between the ages of 5 and 7 years old, during which the 1st molar erupts, and between the ages of 11 and 13, during which the 2nd molar erupts.
Given that it protects the permanent 1st and 2nd molars among the preventive dentistry applications in children, we can state that this procedure is one of the most important applications.

Tooth brushing and dental care in children;

Dental care should start when the first tooth erupts. In this period, we recommend doing dental care with gauze instead of a brush. It is appropriate to use a brush from the age of 2.5, and we do not recommend using toothpaste as the spitting reflex does not develop. We recommend brushing teeth with fluorinated toothpaste from the age of 4.