Children’s and adolescents’
dentistry

The importance of primary teeth. It is very important to carefully care for children’s teeth from the very first baby tooth, which has nerves and is just as sensitive as permanent teeth. They are also not fully mineralised and therefore decay much faster than permanent teeth. Primary teeth are only fully replaced by permanent ones around the age of 12–14. If not cared for and treated in time, especially unpleasant complications may develop:

• toothache;
• damage to the developing buds of permanent teeth;
• sleep disturbances;
• bite pathologies;
• damage to the child’s general health (if the infection spreads).

Therefore, if any suspicious spots or dots are noticed on primary teeth, a dentist should be consulted immediately to prevent possible complications.

Services for children at our clinic:

• examination and familiarisation with the instruments;
• treatment of primary and permanent teeth;
• filling of primary teeth with coloured fillings;
• professional oral hygiene;
• fluoride applications to strengthen teeth;
• sealing of tooth fissures with sealants;
• prosthetic restoration of permanent teeth;
• treatment of permanent teeth with the Icon system;
• tooth extraction.

The most important things to know about children’s teeth.

Early care. Children’s teeth should be cared for and oral hygiene habits introduced from infancy. Before teeth emerge, the gums should be cleaned with a special fingertip cloth or moistened piece of gauze after each feeding. Once the first teeth appear (6–8 months), clean them after feedings with a soft children’s toothbrush, with bristles dampened with children’s fluoride toothpaste (check by age).

First visit to the dentist. It is recommended to visit the dentist for the first time at the age of 1 or even earlier. The purpose of the early visit is to familiarise parents with the child’s oral care and to instruct them. By the age of 3, all 20 primary teeth have usually erupted, so regular dental check-ups become important from this age.

Regular dental visits. It is recommended to attend preventive check-ups every 6 months, or every 2–3 months if the teeth are weaker. It should be noted that children’s teeth have not yet had time to fully mineralise and so are more prone to decay than those of adults. To prevent the child from being afraid of the dentist, it is important to prepare them in advance: show them cartoons about teeth and the need to treat them. The child should never be frightened or intimidated.

Cleaning teeth and interdental spaces. Once primary teeth have emerged, they should be cleaned with a soft children’s brush, with the bristles dampened with children’s toothpaste, at least 2 times a day after eating. It is also important not to forget to clean between the teeth with floss and an interdental brush, as primary teeth are particularly prone to decay in the interdental spaces. Note that children do not have the skills to clean their teeth properly until they can write (around age 7–8). Until then, parents should re-clean their child’s teeth after each independent brushing.

Diet. A proper, balanced diet is very important not only for the general condition of the body but also for dental health. The main enemy of dental caries is carbohydrates. For this reason, sugar-containing foods and juices should be limited, and teeth should be cleaned straight after eating them. For snacks, it is better to choose healthier food: vegetables, fruit and water.

Fluoride. This is the most important element needed for bone and tooth mineralisation and caries prevention. The child should therefore receive a sufficient amount of it through food. However, in Lithuania, only residents of the western region get significant fluoride from drinking water, while others do not get enough. Therefore, the use of fluoride toothpastes from the very first baby tooth is very important to prevent caries from forming.

Dental sealants. A thin protective material poured into the fissures or pits of erupted healthy molars, preventing food from getting stuck in them and so protecting the teeth from caries. The sealing procedure is completely painless. However, it is very important to apply it to healthy tooth fissures. If demineralisation and caries have already developed on the teeth, sealing is no longer possible.

Protective mouthguards. If a child attends sports clubs where there is an increased risk of tooth injury, special protective mouthguards should be worn during sport. Night-time protective guards are also needed if there is intensive teeth grinding in the permanent bite.

Set a good example. Maintain good oral hygiene yourself and be a proper example for your child. Only by regularly seeing parents brushing their teeth, flossing and using interdental brushes in the morning and evening will children be motivated to clean their teeth themselves.