Pediatric Dentistry

Fear of the Dentist

All dentists know very well that the words used during the first visit can either relax the child or send them into a panic mode. After all, how many children do you know who enjoys hearing the words “needle” or “injection” when they sit in the dentist’s chair? Fear of the unknown is directly linked to children’s anxiety levels during a visit to the dentist.
In order to have a positive experience at the dentist, it is important to be sensitive in your conversations about your visit to the dentist. For this reason, the child, family and dentist should work together.
The aim is not to mislead the child, but simply to avoid developing a negative attitude towards dentistry.
It is a good idea to share with your child any positive experiences you may have had with your dentist. Remember, dentistry has made incredible advances; thanks to new technologies and techniques, dental treatments are now performed without any pain. Use words that do not evoke a negative reaction. For example; sleeping drink instead of needle or injection, buzz instead of drilling, cleaning the tooth instead of drilling, magic air instead of gas or nitric oxide, counting the teeth instead of examining, wiggling the tooth instead of pulling it, tickling the teeth instead of cleaning.

Pre-Visit Preparation

How should you prepare your child for a dentist visit?
What should you tell him? “You can simply say, ‘We’re going to the dentist.’ When you’re going to the zoo, you don’t say, ‘We’re going to a zoo where the tigers have really sharp teeth!’ You simply say, ‘We’re going to the zoo!’ The goal is to avoid the idea of ​​a visit to the dentist being something to be afraid of.
Nowadays, educational institutions also emphasize healthy living.
According to research, problems occur when parents talk to their children about the "needle" or "piercing" and the concept of pain usually enters the child's mind when the parents tell him, "Don't worry, it won't hurt!"
Families can give children inaccurate and misleading information, and children can become unnecessarily anxious. It is very easy for well-intentioned families to transfer their own experiences of anxiety to their children. Of course, they don't want to do this. It happens naturally. Children pick up on this very quickly.
The aim is to help the child develop positive ideas about dentistry that will help him/her maintain excellent oral health and that will remain in his/her mind throughout his/her life.

First Dentist Visit

The first visit to the dentist should be fun and positive. Your dentist should definitely be aware of your child's visit. Looking at your child while you are having dental treatment can have very dangerous results. If there are unnecessary fears around your child, such as needles, the result is usually disappointment.
The first session usually consists of getting to know each other and explaining how to brush their teeth. Sitting down a child who has come to the clinic with pain and pulling out their tooth is an invitation to a fearful adult.

Children's Dental Emergencies

‘The recommended age for starting oral care by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), American Dental Association (ADA) and American Academy of Pediatrics (AAPD) is 1 year of age.’
Baby Bottle Tooth Decay (Early Childhood Decay), One of the causes of tooth decay in young children is the feeding of food sweetened with foods such as sugary milk or cookies via a bottle. These residues left in the mouth during the night cause serious decay.
Nowadays, many baby bottles have warnings on them regarding this issue.

Toothache

There are several steps to follow when children experience toothache:

•  It should be checked whether there is food residue around the aching tooth. If there is food residue, the teeth should be brushed and the last meal eaten should be noted and this information should be given to the dentist. Was it sweet? Was it cold? What caused the tooth to ache?
•  It should be checked whether hot or cold water causes pain in the tooth.
• It should not be forgotten that food residue stuck between two teeth can also cause pain and should be controlled. In this context, control should be provided with the help of dental floss. Especially fibrous foods stuck between molars cause incredible pain.
• You should contact your dentist immediately without using methods that may cause additional irritation to your gums, such as putting aspirin or alcohol on your gums.

Cuts on the tongue, lips, and cheeks due to falls

If there is a cut on the tongue, lip or cheek as a result of a fall, ice should be applied to the injured area immediately. If there is bleeding, compress (pressure) the bleeding area with a gauze, and if bleeding cannot be controlled, an urgent visit to the dentist is necessary.

Dislocation of Permanent Tooth Due to Fall

If a permanent tooth is dislodged as a result of falling; if the tooth is present, it should be washed by holding the crown of the tooth with saline or clean water. The patient should fill a cup with spit and the tooth should be placed in this cup and the dentist should be consulted immediately. If it is not possible to fill the cup with spit, you can fill it with milk and place the tooth in the cup.

Dislocation of a Tooth Due to Falling in Babies

This condition usually occurs in babies' front teeth. It does not require urgency as it is not possible to replace them.

Fracture of Permanent Tooth Due to Falling

A permanent tooth breaking as a result of falling requires an emergency. If the fallen piece is found, just like a dislocated tooth, a doctor should be consulted in saliva or milk. If the doctor deems the broken piece appropriate, he/she will replace it.