Why do children's teeth decay?

Deciduous teeth contain more organic matter than normal teeth, so they are more prone to decay, they decay more easily and quickly. Children cannot interpret the early signs of caries, such as cold-hot tenderness and mild pain, in a timely manner. They realize the event only when there is unbearable pain, which may be too late. Children cannot pay as much attention to oral care as adults. The child's dexterity, curiosity and parent's attitude determine the brushing habits. Especially a mistake that mothers often make is givng the pacifier or feeding bottle by dipping them into sugar, jam, etc or giving them foods such as milk, sugared milk and fruit juice during sleep breaks. Thus, the teeth become susceptible to caries due to nutritional irregularities.

What is the importance of deciduous teeth?

The primary task of deciduous teeth is to ensure that the child is nourished properly. In addition, the proper development of speech depends on the presence of deciduous teeth. Deciduous teeth protect the area they cover for the permanent tooth that will replace them and guide it while erupting permanent teeth.
When the deciduous tooth is pulled early, this natural placeholding function disappears.

Are the caries in deciduous teeth should be treated?

Untreated deciduous tooth caries cause pain, bad odor, difficulty in chewing, malnutrition and an bad appearance. Untreated dental disorders in this period may lead to dental deformities, jaw development disorders and general health problems (from rheumatism to heart diseases) in the future. Therefore, caries in deciduous teeth should be treated without making the mistake of "new ones will come instead".

What is baby bottle tooth caries?

In babies, it is sometimes observed that brown spots appear on the teeth as soon as they erupt, or that these teeth are broken and lost. In fact, these stains are dental caries and teeth are broken due to caries. The reason for the formation of caries in such an early period is the caries called baby bottle caries. Breast milk or cow's milk, which are the most important nutrients in baby nutrition, naturally contains sugar. If the baby sucks breast milk or a bottle before going to bed at night or during sleep, the milk accumulates in the mouth and creates a favorable environment for microbes to decay teeth. Therefore, attention should be paid to the cleaning of the teeth, especially after night feeding.

What should be done to prevent baby bottle caries?

• Prevent your baby's habit of sleeping with a bottle in his/her mouth at night.
• Try to put it to sleep after feeding.
• Do not add sweeteners such as sugar or honey molasses to the milk in the bottle.
• Make sure to give water after the baby is fed.
• With the eruption of the first teeth, clean their teeth by wiping them with a clean, wet cheesecloth after night and morning feeding.