Currently, dental caries is a major health problem that can hurt the oral health of infants and children. Dental caries is a chronic disease that is five times more common in children than asthma and seven times more common than hay fever.
Citing the oral health group page, about 40% of children have dental caries at the age of 5 years, and 8% of children aged 2 years have decay due to caries and some of them have made a previous recovery.
Caries in children’s teeth are characterized by the presence of one or more decayed, missing, or filled tooth surfaces in the primary teeth. Usually, it occurs in children aged 71 months or younger.
If carious lesions in children are not treated promptly, they can lead to increasingly expensive dental care, impaired growth and development, pain, and life-threatening infections.
Causes of Dental Caries in Children
Then, what is the cause of dental caries in children? The answer is there are several factors.
In more detail, the following information has been compiled by Thevolume.net from various sources.
1. Frequent consumption of sweet foods
Citing information from the Mayo Clinic, sweet foods such as candy are teeth-destroying foods. Foods that stick to teeth for a long time such as candy, cakes, ice cream, soda, sugar, dried fruit, milk, honey, and dry cereals can cause damage.
Dental caries are formed when bacteria that live in the mouth digest the remnants of carbohydrates left on the teeth after we eat. These bacteria will then produce acid which mixes with saliva to form plaque. From this plaque that continues to accumulate, the teeth are damaged.
So, think carefully before you give sweet treats to your child. Many studies have also found that frequent consumption of sweets and sugary drinks causes cavities.
2. Don’t brush your teeth regularly
Bacteria, acids, and food debris, and saliva combine to form plaque that sticks to the teeth. The acid in plaque dissolves the surface of the tooth enamel and causes cavities.
For that, Mom needs to teach your little one to brush their teeth regularly. At least twice a day, every morning and night before going to bed.
Citing the better health page, children need adults to help them brush their teeth until they can do well on their own. So, accompany your child every time you brush your teeth, Mom.
Choose a toothbrush handle that is easy to grip and has soft bristles so it is safe and comfortable for the baby. Also, use a special toothpaste for children, Mom just gives it the size of a pea for each toothbrush.
3. The influence of bacteria
Reporting to the IDNTimes page, the amount of food and drink consumed makes the mouth and teeth a place for bacteria to live. Some of these certain bacteria can also trigger caries in children’s teeth.
For example, Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacilli. Meanwhile, caries that occur in the roots of teeth is generally caused by Lactobacillus acidophilus, Actinomyces viscosus, Nocardia spp, and Streptococcus mutants.
When these bad bacteria digest carbohydrates that form in the teeth, then acid will be formed. The acid then causes plaque and will cause dental caries. Gradually, the teeth become brittle, cavities, and sometimes yellowish or blackish.
4. Eat or drink before bed
The habit of giving drinking water as a lullaby for the baby can cause dental caries, Mom. In a large Finnish study, drinking 1-2 sugary drinks per day was associated with a 31% higher risk of cavities or cavities.
When a child is given a bottle filled with milk, formula, juice, or other liquid that contains sugar, these drinks remain in the child’s teeth for hours while they sleep. Indirectly, Mom has been feeding decay-causing bacteria on the teeth.
Snacking on cookies or potato chips before bed can also allow your child to develop cavities. For that, feed or drink a few hours before the child goes to bed and get them used to brush their teeth every night, Mom.
5. Teeth lack fluoride
Teeth that don’t get enough fluoride are prone to caries. This is because fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral that is beneficial for rebuilding (remineralizing) weakened tooth enamel, slowing down the loss of minerals from tooth enamel, reversing early signs of tooth decay, and preventing the growth of harmful oral bacteria.
When bacteria in the mouth break down sugars and carbohydrates, they produce acids that eat away at the minerals in tooth enamel. This loss of minerals is called demineralization. Weak tooth enamel makes teeth susceptible to bacteria that cause cavities.
With fluoride in teeth, it will help remineralize tooth enamel so that it can prevent cavities and reverse the early signs of tooth decay. Fluoride can generally be obtained from the use of toothpaste or mouthwash.
6. Dry mouth condition
Dry mouth conditions can also cause dental caries. A dry mouth means a lack of saliva. Saliva can help prevent tooth decay because it can clean food and plaque from teeth.
Substances found in saliva also help fight acids produced by bacteria. For that, try not to dry the child’s mouth, Mom. Teach children to always maintain oral and dental hygiene and pay attention to hydration by meeting fluid needs every day.
Also, avoid using mouthwash that contains alcohol because it can cause the mouth to feel dry. Instead, you can use a mouthwash that contains xylitol.
7. Eating disorders and ulcers
The presence of eating disorders in children, such as anorexia and bulimia can cause significant tooth erosion and cavities. Stomach acid from repeated vomiting continuously can dissolve tooth enamel.
This eating disorder can also interfere with the production of saliva, making the mouth dry and potentially experiencing dental caries. In addition, ulcers can also increase the risk of dental caries.
This is because acid reflux from the stomach back into the esophagus can reach the mouth. Acids that are in constant, intimate contact with the teeth can demineralize or remove the coating from the teeth.
Ulcers can also be a cause of dry mouth which intensifies bacteria and dental plaque thereby increasing the risk of cavities and tooth decay.
Dangers of Dental Caries in Children
Dental caries in children develop so quickly because the milk teeth or the first teeth that grow in these children mostly still have a thinner layer of enamel and dentin.
Over time, dental caries can cause cavities and even tooth loss. Mom can see, that dental caries can also remove some of your baby’s teeth, so they don’t look whole anymore.
In many cases, dental caries in children are not treated with proper care. Damaged milk teeth will affect the growth and development of the child’s permanent teeth later.
The danger of dental caries in children is that the baby teeth are damaged and falling out can cause the child’s jaw to shrink. Then cause permanent teeth that are under the milk teeth do not get the optimal place to grow.
If you have this, do not cover the permanent teeth that will grow messy. After growing up, children are finally forced to use braces.
Tooth decay experienced by children can also make it difficult for children to eat. There is pain and swelling that makes it difficult for the child to chew food.
The long-term effect of the child becomes vulnerable to nutritional deficiencies, and his weight can be reduced or his growth is not appropriate for his age.
Those are 7 causes of dental caries in children and what are the dangers for them. Keep your teeth and mouth healthy by diligently brushing your teeth before going to bed and after eating with your children, Mom.
