Dental health in children

Fears are something quite natural. Some children go to the dentist for the first time without any reservations, others are very scared. First of all, dental health is always a very sensitive issue. Even the smallest treatments can cause pain.

Where does the fear of the dentist come from in children??

At first, the environment at the dentist is very unusual for a small child. A big high chair, light that is directed at you and can be blinding.

Various instruments that the doctor brings to the mouth, he himself bends over you, all this can already cause a certain fear of the unknown.

But parents are also often to blame for the child’s fear. So sometimes they force brushing by threatening the dentist, who will then drill and this hurts a lot. So what best to do?

What is a tooth brushing school?

In a tooth brushing school the child comes to learn to brush the teeth properly. The child is given a colored tablet, which he must chew well so that the dye is distributed in the mouth.

Once this has happened, the child can easily see where food remains and where bacteria linger on the teeth. The pink to purple coloring makes this easy to see.

With the help of the dental professional, the child learns to use the toothbrush properly so that such discoloration becomes a thing of the past.

Already in this interaction between the practice and the child, it learns to lose the shyness before it.

Regular visits get the child used to the fact that teeth are important and going to the doctor is not something to be afraid of.

How to care for milk teeth properly?

Even if the child’s first teeth only remain in the dentition for a few years, dental health requires good care. This should be done from the beginning and should not start too late.

The right time to start is with the first tooth. These are usually cleaned carefully with a cotton swab in the evening.

Mostly from the 6. The first real toothbrush is then used before the child is six months old. This should be soft and especially for children.

When using toothpaste, which should be a pea-sized amount, make sure that the fluoride content is low. Too much of fruity sweet taste is not good. This tends to tempt snacking.

The toothbrush should be age-appropriate and should be used twice a day. To do this, the chewing surfaces of the teeth are cleaned first.

Then the outer surfaces, by placing the child’s incisors on top of each other and then moving the brush in large circles from one side to the other.

At the end the inner surfaces of the teeth are cleaned. The movements now become smaller. From the gum (red) to the tooth crown (white) the brush now gently brushes along.

At the end rinse the mouth well with some lukewarm water.

Why dental health from the beginning?

Because diseased and destroyed milk teeth destroy the masticatory system. Milk teeth are the so-called placeholders of the permanent teeth.

However, if the milk teeth are diseased and destroyed, this has an impact on the dental health of the permanent and subsequent teeth.

The development of the jaw begins very early. If the milk teeth already suffer from strong caries, then the coming teeth are also burdened early with it.

Furthermore, the child learns early and above all playfully what dental health means, what correct dental care looks like and that regular visits to the dentist are necessary.

What distinguishes a pediatric dentist from a normal dentist??

Bright colors, lots of child-friendly information and toys await the youngest visitors as soon as they enter the dentist’s office.

A pediatric dentist and the associated staff are precisely trained to deal with the fear, but also the emotions of the smallest ones. You are the experts in dental health and you take your time!

The milk teeth have a thinner enamel and are therefore much more sensitive. Caries also affects the milk teeth more easily.

Pediatric dentists are the experts for the primary dentition and guide the little ones over to the transitional dentition and into adolescence.

It is good to visit a dentist before the first symptoms appear.

How can I make a child less afraid of the dentist??

Is it rather a certain queasy feeling or is it real fear that makes it difficult to go to the dentist?

The first is known to all of us and applies to most of us, because we do not know what we are facing.

Real fear, however, can lead to a total avoidance of going to the dentist. But then everything will only get worse. But where does this fear come from?

Were it the parents who themselves avoid going to the dentist and always talked about it only full of fear? Is it fear of the noise of drilling, of feeling helpless, of pain, of a large treatment or, in the end, of the needle of the anesthetic syringe??

It helps to know exactly where the fear is located, because then the doctor can better respond to it. The earlier the visit to the dentist happens, the better and easier it will be for the child now and also later as an adult.

Treatment is not always necessary. Often they only check, show or explain something. There are beautiful children’s books that also explain the visit to the dentist.

Take your time and explain all the procedures calmly. Practice playfully at home the visit to the dentist. Often it loses so the fear to open the mouth.

Where to go in case of acute pain?

Call our office and describe your emergency. Outside of office hours, there is an emergency dental service that provides emergency care.

The dentist on emergency duty can be found on the website of the Chamber of Dentists, in Berlin this is https://www.zaek-berlin.en/patients/dentist-emergency-service.html.

Who pays for the anesthesia at the dentist?

First of all, it is always important to tell the dentist that you are suffering from anxiety. Because only then, can be fully addressed to you.

If anesthesia is unavoidable, it will be performed professionally by the dental team.

Under certain conditions, the costs can be covered. Please contact your health insurance company for information about the respective costs.