Throughout life, people lose teeth. But there are periods when teeth need special care and attention.
The first years of life: as a rule, the main problem is caries.
It is caused by the specifics of a child’s diet. There is a term – “baby bottle caries”. It develops in children who are used to falling asleep with a bottle of sweet tea. Parents try not to give children sweets, but there are other sources of sugar too – including many foods a child may eat in the first years of life. That’s why dentists advise parents not to give a bottle for long periods, and certainly not to let children fall asleep with a bottle.
Even though baby teeth will be replaced, they must be treated. Believe it or not, baby teeth need brushing too! From the age of 2, you should teach your child to brush their teeth; before that, you should clean them yourself.
In adolescencethe main problem is the same – caries, as well as tooth demineralization. The thing is, a child’s body grows fast and goes through hormonal changes. At this age, teenagers also eat a lot of soft and sweet food, and either can’t be bothered to care for their teeth or don’t know how.
To deal with these problems, teeth must be brushed after every meal (not just with a brush, but with floss too). Rinse the mouth after eating sweets, and visit the dentist regularly. Only a specialist can detect caries at an early stage and take the right measures.
During pregnancy there is a risk of caries and tooth demineralization. The reason: the mother’s body supplies minerals to the baby, the acid-base balance in the mouth changes, and there are major hormonal changes.
There is a belief that a mother loses at least one tooth during pregnancy, but a mother’s dental problems can also damage the baby’s teeth. To avoid this, the future mother should solve all dental problems before conception and have regular preventive care during pregnancy.
Problems increase with age:cervical caries, gum inflammation, tooth loss and increased sensitivity appear.
The cause of these problems is the gums. Periodontal disease brings conditions not seen in young people, e.g. root caries. The range of diseases that comes with age requires taking many medications, which in turn reduces saliva production. And a dry mouth doubles the risk of caries. The situation is made worse by the fact that older patients drink less fluid than their bodies need.
We advise older patients to use toothpastes for sensitive teeth. If medications cause a dry mouth, be sure to tell your doctor. At this age, almost everyone has artificial teeth or removable dentures. Whether or not your remaining teeth cause problems, you need to see a dentist at least once a year, preferably every 6 months.
