Pediatric Cavity: Causes, Treatment, and Prevention
Cavities are the most common dental pathologies affecting primary and permanent dentition in children. It causes a permanently damaged area on the tooth, which initially involves the outer layer (enamel) and progresses to dentine and pulp tissue if left untreated. But should you ignore a pediatric cavity in primary teeth as they’re going to fall off at a certain age?
The answer is never! Cavities in children shouldn’t be overlooked ever because they can result in severe pain, discomfort, sensitivity, early tooth loss, and many other symptoms that can affect their regular activities and compromise a healthy lifestyle.
What you can only do is recognize the causes of cavities in children, get the right treatment done, and have best prevention tips to ensure their lifelong strong and healthy dentition. Read on to understand everything in detail related to a pediatric cavity!
What Causes Cavities in Kids?
Cavities are a result of plaque buildup (a sticky layer forms when bacteria combine with acid, food, and saliva) on a tooth enamel, which starts destroying it and causing holes in teeth. Plaque is preventable with proper oral hygiene practices, but the little ones rarely brush their teeth, or if they do so, their toothbrushing is not according to the recommended conditions (twice a day for two minutes at least).
An unhealthy diet, especially eating too many sugary or starchy foods, is a big reason why plaque forms on teeth. Plaque is a sticky layer that builds up and becomes a perfect place for harmful bacteria like Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus to grow. These bacteria cause cavities. Also, some kids may have softer enamel (the outer layer of teeth) because of their genes, making it easier for cavities to form. So, eating too many sweets and having weak enamel can both lead to tooth decay in children.
Plaque, if not removed earlier, starts becoming mineralized and turns into a hard layer of calculus. The bacteria keeps on producing acid and starts demineralizing the enamel and dentine, reaching nerves and blood vessels in the pulp.
Most of the children could only brush or floss their teeth effectively at six years of age. Parents should try to supervise them with the right brushing and flossing techniques until they properly learn to do a perfect job daily.
How Common Are Cavities in Kids?
Dental cavities are considered one of the common chronic childhood diseases that can cause severe pain and infections. The ratio of cavities in kids is increasing every day because of poor oral hygiene practices and unbalanced dietary habits.
According to Scientific American, almost everyone—97% of people—gets cavities at least once in their life. A study by the CDC from 2015-2016 found that about 45.8% of children had cavities, whether they were treated or not. Another big study, called the Global Burden of Disease, showed that cavities in baby teeth are a major problem worldwide. In fact, it’s the 17th most common oral health issue, affecting around 486 million children globally. This means cavities are very common and a big concern for kids’ dental health.
How is Pediatric Cavity Treated?
Treating cavities in children depends on their age, how bad the cavity is, how well they clean their teeth, and their overall health. If the cavity is caught early, it can sometimes be stopped or even reversed without removing any part of the tooth. This can be done with simple treatments like fissure sealants (a protective coating for teeth), cleaning the teeth, removing plaque, or using fluoride to strengthen the teeth. These methods help save the tooth and prevent the cavity from getting worse.
In most cases, tooth decay requires proper treatment, including removal of the decayed part and filling or replacing it with dental restorations. There are two different types of restorations your child may require based on the severity and site of the tooth decay:
- Direct Restorations
These are the restorations that only need a single dental visit and don’t include any laboratory work. It includes direct chair-side filling of a prepared cavity by dental materials (GIC, composite, acrylic, resin, etc.). GIC is the preferred tooth-colored material to restore early cavity front tooth because it helps maintain aesthetics and ensure a remineralization process by its fluoride release. - Indirect Restorations
Indirect restorations, including laboratory work and two or more visits, are required to restore a more severe tooth damaged by cavities. These restorations include the crafting of customized inlays, onlays, crowns, bridges, and veneers from gold, ceramics, base metal alloys, or composites to resemble other natural tooth appearances. - Fluoride Exposure:
Fluoride is capable of strengthening tooth enamel through the remineralization process. Lack of sufficient fluoride exposure can increase the susceptibility to cavities. Conversely, optimal fluoride concentration in drinking water, fluoride treatments, or fluoride-containing dental hygiene products can significantly reduce the risk of cavities in children.
If the pediatric cavity has reached the pulp with a preserved tooth crown, the dentist may advise a pulpectomy or pulpotomy to save the tooth and replace it with a dental crown.
However, in cases of extremely damaged tooth structures that couldn’t be restored with any treatment, they will need extraction under anesthesia, which will require multiple visits. If a primary tooth is extracted, your pediatric dentist in Fremont will give a space maintainer to leave the space open for upcoming permanent teeth.
Can a 2-Year-Old Get Cavities?
Baby teeth usually get faster cavities than permanent teeth so that every child can get cavities at any age. It is normal for a 2-year-old to get cavities because it can start to develop as soon as the first baby tooth arrives in the mouth by six months to one year of age if no preventive measures are taken. Dental fillings are the right treatment to restore early tooth decay and prevent the teeth from premature loss.
How to Prevent Your Kids From Getting Cavities?
There are multiple preventive measures to help stop your child from getting cavities. Here’s everything related to the best ways of preventing cavities in kids:
- Schedule your child’s first pediatric dentist appointment before their first birthday to ensure their healthy teething and oral structure development.
- Always use a clean, damp cloth to gently wipe your baby’s gums after every feeding. This helps remove leftover food particles and stops bacteria from growing, which can harm their gums and teeth.
- Never leave the milk bottle in their mouth while they’re sleeping as it can cause baby bottle caries in children, resulting in early cavity front tooth, specifically. If your baby has a habit of using bottles during bedtime, only give them water as sugary formula (milk/juices/custards) can cause tooth decay.
- Make your child learn to brush their teeth twice a day for two minutes with the right brushing technique (circular motion on smooth surfaces and back-and-forth motion on biting surfaces) using a pea-sized, kid-friendly fluoridated toothpaste. Only use a rice grain-sized toothpaste up to 2 years of age. It should be the first thing to do after breakfast and the last thing to do at night
. - As proximal surfaces of teeth are more prone to cavities, assist them in flossing at least once a day after they turn the age of 2 to remove food particles and bacteria stuck in between the teeth.
- Schedule dental appointments with the best pediatric dentist for your child every 6 months for routine check-ups and cleanings to avoid plaque buildup and reduce the risk of cavities.
- Avoid sugary and starchy foods (cakes, ice creams, candies, soda drinks, cookies, etc.) and replace them with safe and healthy alternatives such as low glycemic fruits, yogurt, cheese sticks, carrots, dried fruits, etc.
- Don’t share your utensils with your child, as bacteria in your mouth can transfer, resulting in an increased risk of cavities.
Don’t share your utensils with your child, as bacteria in your mouth can transfer, resulting in an increased risk of cavities.
Conclusion:
Pediatric cavities are so common nowadays, and it is essential to recognize them by their early signs to avoid future complications such as infection or premature tooth loss. Fissure sealants can help arrest initial pits and fissures’ caries. Fillings can prevent tooth structure by removing early tooth decay and preventing it from reaching the inner structures of teeth.
If your child has visible dental caries or is showing any symptoms, schedule their dental visit as early as possible to get the cavities diagnosed through mirror examination and x-rays. Make the informed decision at the right time to protect their brighter smile and prevent the likelihood of future cavities!
