Why do children always have tooth decay?

Tooth decay not only affects children's daily life and learning spirit, they also cause loss of aesthetics and lead to many other health problems.

Currently, tooth decay is one of the common dental diseases of all ages, especially in children.

According to the results of a survey on oral health in children by the World Health Organization (WHO) in Vietnam, in 2019, the rate of baby tooth decay was 46.5% (1-9 year old group) and tooth decay was 46.5%. permanent teeth is 28% (over 5 years old group).

Reason

According to doctors from the Department of Public Health - Environment - Occupational Diseases, Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control, a diet containing a lot of fat, sugar and starch combined with a lack of regular oral hygiene is one of the factors that cause tooth decay.

When your teeth are just starting to decay, if you don't proactively treat them early, the condition can become more serious. (Photo: Emmanuelosemotafoundation).

They create conditions for bacteria, acids, and food plaque to erode tooth enamel and form cavities. In addition, using a hard toothbrush with strong force and improper tooth cleaning techniques can cause tooth erosion and expose tooth root dentin, causing tooth decay.

When your teeth are just starting to decay, if you don't proactively treat them early, the condition can become more serious. Therefore, when taking care of young children, families should pay attention to common signs of tooth decay such as:

1. The appearance of black spots on the tooth surface.
2. Sharp pain appears every time you eat or drink, and may be accompanied by headaches.
3. Gums appear swollen and bleeding, accompanied by bad breath.

Tooth decay not only affects daily life (eating, sleep) and learning ability, it also causes loss of aesthetics and leads to other health problems (lymphitis, osteomyelitis, cellulitis). cells, maxillary sinusitis.).

How to prevent

To prevent early tooth decay in children, parents need to limit children's frequent snacks, especially foods high in fat, sugar and starch. Encourage children to eat foods rich in calcium and vitamins that are good for teeth such as yogurt, cheese, apples, carrots, eggs, fish.

At the same time, children should brush their teeth with fluoride toothpaste and brush at least twice a day, ideally after each meal.

Parents should guide their children to brush their teeth correctly and use moderate force to avoid damage to the neck and tooth roots. In addition, children can be instructed to use dental floss or a water pick to clean between teeth.

Finally, parents need to proactively take their children for regular dental checkups every 6 months to help detect early and promptly treat dental diseases.