Early Childhood Caries
Early Childhood Caries
MY PEDODDONTIST is one of the first, exclusive pediatric dental practices in Chandigarh.
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Early Childhood Caries
Early Childhood Caries is a specific form of severe dental caries that affects infants and children 71 months or younger. Any sign of a cavity in a child younger than 3 years is termed as Severe Early childhood caries. Severe early childhood caries begins soon after eruption of teeth. It progresses rapidly and has a lasting detrimental impact on the dentition. Some young children with ECC may be severely underweight because of associated pain and disinclination to eat.
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Can breast or bottle feeding cause cavities in my baby’s teeth?
When the baby falls asleep whilst feeding on a milk bottle or sipper, the last mouthful of milk is not swallowed. This milk pools around the teeth and can cause decay. The upper front teeth and molars are the teeth to be affected the most, commonly called Nursing Bottle Decay. Once milk teeth start to erupt, Breastfeeding through the night, coupled with a lack of oral hygiene and introduction of sugars in the diet, can lead to Nursing Decay as well. This is called Severe Early Childhood Caries.
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Why cavities occur in young children
Inappropriate feeding patterns after the first baby tooth begins to erupt cause severe ECC:
- Child put to bed at afternoon nap time and at night with nursing bottle holding milk, or sugar containing beverage (juices, infant formula, soda etc.).
- Unrestricted bedtime breastfeeding after the first primary tooth begins to erupt can be as harmful as inappropriate bottle feeding.
- Repetitive use of a no-spill training cup (sipper), especially at sleep times. These liquids can cause rapidly progressive, severe destruction of tooth structure.
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What kind of treatment will my child require?
Tooth decay (dental caries), is the most common of all childhood dental diseases. Treatment would depend on the extent of decay and how long the milk tooth is expected to function in the mouth. Treatment may include but not be limited to fillings, root canal treatment, pediatric crowns (caps), space maintainers, habit breaking appliances, preventive dental treatment, orthodontic treatment etc