Why Periodic Dental Check-Ups Are Crucial
“Even though dental decay is the most common childhood disease, it is least attended to due to the common misconception that milk teeth will fall off and the next set of permanent teeth will be perfect”
Dental treatment is considered painful, cumbersome and time consuming. Visiting the dentist is therefore, considered a dreadful experience. However, it may cease to be a painful experience if dental disease and tooth loss is prevented.
Increased Incidence Of Dental Caries
A WHO survey shows that dental decay affects 60-90 per cent of school children and a majority of adults in industrial nations. With globalisation and changing diet concepts, the incidence of dental caries has increased in India due to simplified sugars consumption, teeth arrangement problems and inadequate exposure to fluorides. Even though dental decay is the most common childhood disease, it is least attended to, due to the common misconception that milk teeth will fall off and the next set of permanent teeth will be perfect.
Permanent Teeth May Not Be Perfect
Decay n milk teeth causes mineralisation problems in the permanent teeth that are developing under them. And the milk teeth’s width loss, causes the permanent teeth to erupt haphazardly. Thus, it is quite common to see the upper canine tooth, which is that last tooth to erupt, out of line, overlapping the premolars and lateral incisor. Such misplaced canines are considered lucky and charming, but they are difficult to clean and are lost early due to decay between them and the overlapping, adjacent teeth.
So, prevention or early treatment of childhood dental decay can prevent tooth loss in future. Similarly, correction of teeth alignment problems can prevent many dental problems. Timely chock-ups, early decay filling preventing food accumulation on teeth, pit and fissures sealing and fluoride application can keep children 100 per cent decay-free.
Gum Disease Causes Tooth Loss
Gum disease, resulting in tooth fall, is prevalent in five- fifteen per cent of most populations. Juvenile or early onset aggressive periodontitis, a severe gum and bone disease that affects individuals during puberty causing early tooth fall, affects about two per cent teenagers. This mainly stems from poor maintenance of teeth. A timely clean-up once is six months or one year can prevent gum disease. Though loss of teeth is considered as part of ageing, good maintenance can totally prevent tooth loss due to gum disease.
Avert Dental Woes
Current research shows that teeth injuries have increased to sixteen-forty per cent in teens and tour-thirty-three per cent, amongst children due to road accidents, unsafe playgrounds and lack of precaution. Athletes and athletically oriented children must go for an immediate dental check if injured. to prevent long-term sequela of these injuries. Prevention by getting customised fabricated mouth guards can prevent painful teeth injuries.
Dental disease is high amongst developing nations, so make it a point to take your children for periodic dental check-ups to prevent dental decay, gum disease, alignment and jaw growth problems. A family visit to the dentist once in six months, on a long-term basis will be light on your pocket too.