Oral Health

Outline What is oral health Main differences between primary and permanent teeth How dental caries are formed Effects of early loss of teeth How to prevent dental caries

Oral health means keeping teeth, gums and mouth healthy! What is oral health?

Why is oral health important? 60-90% of school children worldwide have dental cavities (World Health Organisation) 50 million school hours lost annually because of oral health problems Affects children’s performance at school and success later in life Children with poor oral health are 12 times more likely to have restricted activity days than those with good oral health

Appearance Teeth are very important to your appearance

Chewing Teeth are important to chew food properly Chewing food with your teeth is the first step in the digestion of food If food cannot be chewed properly, it can cause problems with digestion

Talking (speech) Teeth are important for speaking Teeth work with the lips, cheeks and tongue, allowing us to pronounce words

What’s in a tooth?

Primary and permanent teeth Primary teeth have: Thinner enamel and dentine Broader contacts More prominent pulp horns Roots more flared and ribbon-like

CROWNS of primary teeth: Shorter Narrower occlusal table Pronounced cervical constriction Primary and permanent teeth

ROOTS of primary molars: Longer, more slender in relation to crown size Flared to accommodate the developing permanent tooth buds Primary and permanent teeth

School children should have both primary (baby) teeth a few permanent teeth This is called ‘mixed dentition’ Although every child will eventually replace all of his baby teeth with permanent teeth, it is important that we continue to take care of these baby teeth Primary and permanent teeth

Each primary tooth holds a place for a permanent tooth As permanent teeth come in, they take up space left by loss of primary teeth Importance of primary teeth

Primary teeth can be lost early as a result of tooth decay or accidents This early loss creates a space Space needs to be saved in order for the permanent tooth to come in straight The dentist can save the space by putting in a space maintainer When the permanent tooth is ready to come in, the space maintainer is removed Importance of primary teeth

Permanent teeth coming in before primary teeth come out Causes teeth to become crowded and overlapping Crowded areas of the mouth are hard to clean so leads to gum disease and tooth decay If primary teeth do not come out dentist may have to remove them White: permanent teeth Gray: primary teeth Problems with primary teeth

Teeth timings

Now that you understand how important teeth are, let’s take a look at how a cavity is formed!

The caries process Four things required for tooth decay

Each day a thin film of plaque grows on our teeth This plaque contains bacteria (germs) Bacteria turn sugar from foods and drinks into acid Acid attacks teeth and softens the hard surface until a hole is formed Bacterial dental plaque + Mestman, Herman, What To Do For Healthy Teeth =

Pain Depends on depth of cavity and tooth tissue involved Infection Spreads very fast and could be life threatening Disturbed sleep Affects school performance Complications of tooth decay

Difficulty chewing Leads to nutrition problems Speech problems Due to loss of anterior teeth Destruction of teeth First primary teeth and in cases delayed irruption of permanent teeth Psycho-social problems Impaired performance at school Complications of tooth decay

When plaque is left on your teeth for a while, bacteria begin to increase and irritate gum tissues Causes bleeding and your gums may become sore This is called gum disease Plaque affects gums too

How to avoid cavities? Eat less sugary, sticky foods or snacks Eat more nutritious foods like fruits, vegetables and cheese Drink less soda or other sugary drinks Drink more water and milk Reduce snacking through the day X X X

Teeth friendly food & drinks

Other helpful habits Chewing sugarless gum Drinking water

Additional tip Xylitol: a low-calorie sugar substitute reduces tooth decay incidence in both mother & child Short-term exposure to Xylitol decreases Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) levels in saliva and plaqueStreptococcus mutans decreases the transmission of S. mutans from mothers or caregivers to infants and children

Harmful to oral health Prolonged breast or bottle feeding leads to sustained exposure of teeth to milk or juice

Avoid transmitting bacteria Avoid lip kissing Avoid spoon/ cup sharing

The caries imbalance

The caries balance

To prevent cavities and gum disease you also need to brush and floss your teeth regularly and visit the dentist Oral health practices

Tooth brushing Brush 2x daily Small-head tooth brush Fluoride tooth paste Pea-sized tooth paste Brush for 2 full minutes Spit the tooth paste after brushing Replace brush every 3 months

How to brush Tooth 45 o angle to gum line Short gentle strokes on facial surfaces Brush outer surfaces of upper teeth Brush outer surfaces of lower teeth Clean inner surfaces of upper teeth Clean inner surfaces of lower teeth Circular strokes on biting /chewing surfaces Scrape tongue (removes bacteria & freshens breath)

Who should brush Brushing/ cleaning starts with the 1 st tooth Infant’s teeth: wipe with wet gauze 0-2 yrs old: start cleaning and help the child in brushing and making the teeth cleaning a fun part of daily routine 2-7 yrs old: supervised tooth brushing 8 yrs and over: without supervision but with reminders about when and how to brush

Care for your tooth brush

Flossing Floss 1 x daily Wind 40cm of floss between middle fingers Hold tightly between thumb and forefinger Guide floss between teeth (gentle, rubbing motion) At gum-line, curve into C shape against tooth and slide between gum and tooth Use up and down movements alongside tooth

Flossing

Regular dentist visits

Orientation Oral examination X-ray films Consultation: –Diet –Oral hygiene –Treatment plan 1 st dental visit

The dentist will look at your teeth, gums and the way your teeth come together when you bite The dentist is looking for tooth decay, gum disease, mouth sores & whether or not you might need braces Visual exam

X-rays X-rays will be taken of all your teeth Can see whole of the tooth including roots and bone around them Shows if any teeth are decayed Also shows any teeth that have not come in yet, and any extra teeth

Oral hygiene instruction

Professional cleaning Dental hygienist removes any plaque or hard deposits called calculus from teeth using special instruments Teeth then polished with special kind of toothpaste Makes teeth feel smooth and clean

Flavored gel or foam placed in a soft tray Bite into the tray for a few minutes or… Fluoride may be painted on teeth with a small brush This is called fluoride varnish Flouride treatment

Importance of fluoride Enhances tooth & bone health in proper quantities Increases tooth resistance against decay Reduces tooth decay by 50-70% Flouride also available from natural sources Too much flouride can cause problems

Sources of fluoride Natural mineral in Earth’s crust Well water Tea Fish bones Shell fish Foods canned in fluoridated areas

Too much fluoride Fluorosis

Thin coating of plastic-like substance painted on teeth by dentist Prevents food and germs getting into grooves on chewing surfaces of molars and prevents tooth decay! Fissure sealants prevent cavities from forming on the chewing surfaces of permanent molars Fissure sealants

Where to seal

Raise awareness, educate, promote oral health Do a risk assessment for dental disease Check the mouth at every child visit Provide appropriate prevention Focus on feeding practices, hygiene, fluoride Document findings and follow up Take home messages

So now that you know how to prevent tooth decay and gum disease….it’s up to you to keep your teeth and gums healthy!

Thank you for listening!