Early Childhood Caries

These “hidden” cavities are difficult or impossible to detect visually or with the explorer. In some cases, none of these methods are adequate, and a dentist must use a special disclosing solution to diagnose a suspicious area on a tooth. Shorten contact time of NMEs in the mouthDo not put infants and young children to bed with a feeding bottle. Usually this form of caries is symptomless and not easily to detect with your naked eyes.

The government not only provides healthcare but also ensures the dissemination of health education. This policy led to the establishment of a Dental Health Education Unit in 1979 at the then Dental Division, Ministry of Health. In 1994, the Unit was re-designated Oral Health Promotion Unit to better reflect its scope of responsibilities in advocating health with an emphasis on oral health. Similarly in 1996, the Dental Division justified a change of nomenclature to the Oral Health Division to reflect the holistic concept of oral health as part of general health. Dental caries occur when the outer layers of teeth are dissolved. Teeth will start to dissolve or demineralise when oral pH level falls below 5.5 .

Fluoride becomes incorporated into our teeth as they develop and makes them more resistant to decay. After our teeth are formed, fluoride can reverse the progress of early cavities, and sometimes prevent the need for corrective dental treatments. In our society, dental caries is best recognized by presence of decay or cavity on any tooth surfaces. Dental decay can affect anyone regardless of age; children and adult included.It can both afftect the primary or permanent dentition. However if it is large cavity, then a larger filling is required provided there is no pain.

Better yet, drink it through a straw in one sitting, to bypass the teeth altogether. Getting to the dentist at least twice a year is critical for examinations and professional dental cleanings. The government aspires to achieve a developed nation status by 2020. It is from Vision 2020 that the Oral Health Division has taken the lead to formulate a National Oral Health Plan for year 2010.

The tooth is usually painful on chewing and sometimes disturb sleep. The purpose of this treatment is to preserve the tooth by removing the dead and infected pulp leaving the tooth bacteria free. The second route of acid attack is from a smooth surface, which is between, or on the front or back of teeth. In a smooth-surface cavity, the acid must travel through the entire thickness of the enamel. The area of attack is generally wide, and comes to a point or converges as it enters the deeper layers of the tooth. The establishment of a comprehensive referral system from primary to specialist oral healthcare.

Early childhood caries are an increasing problem, with rampant caries leading to rapid decay of deciduous teeth. In older age groups, dental caries prevalence is high with low severity; most disease remains either untreated or affected teeth are extracted. Saliva is important in fighting cavities because it can rinse away plaque and food debris, and help neutralize acid. People who have limited manual dexterity and have difficulty removing plaque from their teeth may also have a higher risk of forming cavities. Some people have naturally lower oral pH, which makes them more likely to have cavities. Dental caries or tooth decay is a common chronic disorder among children.

Goals are defined for four key oral conditions; dental caries, periodontal conditions, oral malignancies and dental injuries. The Plan also outlines strategies to ensure that all stakeholders will play their respective roles towards improving oral health and the quality of life of Malaysians. The national concern has been translated into milestone developments in public oral healthcare of the MOH under the Five-Year Malaysia Plans.

Currently there are many other dental organisations representing various interest groups and clinical specialities. Patient should be recalled every 3 months to ensure that the disease is under control and to prevent recurrence. The water fluoridation programme, officially approved as a Cabinet Committee policy in 1972.

This apparently normal symbiotic condition is subjected to change and become a potential risk when there is a change in your immune system or temperature within the oral cavity. “Dental caries is an age-old disease and we have been fighting this disease for the last 100 years. The battle is still on-going and remains as one of key areas in dental health care,” he stated when officiating at the 2nd Miri Dental Congress at Meritz Hotel yesterday. The easiest way to prevent cavities is by brushing your teeth and removing plaque at least three times a day, especially after eating and before bed. Flossing at least once a day is important to remove plaque between your teeth.

The pits and fissures are thin areas of enamel that contain recesses that can trap food and plaque to form a cavity. The cavity starts from a small point of attack, and spreads widely to invade the underlying dentin. The balance of private-public sector involvement has seen many changes through various economic climates. However, the trend has reverted back to the government sector since 2008, which is due to the compulsory service introduced in 2001. A national dental survey in the country in 1990 reported a much higher prevalence of tooth decay among adults. Recent research indicates that non-milk extrinsic sugars are the prime contributors of tooth decay.

The most common cavity symptoms are an increased sensation to cold, sweet foods or beverages. The cavity weakens the tooth, especially when it forms under a tooth filling or a tooth cusp, and can easily cause a fracture when biting down. Therefore forgetting to brush your teeth at night will increase your risk of tooth decay & dental caries. Awareness, access to care, early intervention and fluoride varnish care will reduce the incidence of new caries cases in the United States. Varnishes should be a part of every dentist’s regimen to prevent decay in those individuals at risk for root caries. Under normal circumstances, bacteria is always found on tooth surfaces in the form of a soft and sticky mass called dental palque.

Our Bright Smiles, Bright Futures program brings oral health education to more than half a billion children around the world. Various studies in Malaysia have found that more than 70 per cent of 12-year-old children suffered from tooth decay. To investigate the role of geography as a moderator in the relationship between dental caries disease and treatment experience and dental fear in 16-year-olds living in Malaysia. RCT is required when infection from caries has spread to the pulp of a tooth.

These include improving the mother’s oral hygiene to limit disease transmission to the child, fluoride in the water, fluoride varnishes and xylitol, which is now found in sugarless gum. After every meal, the bacteria can react with the food debris left behind in the oral cavity , the metabolic product of which leaves an acidic pH in the mouth. The continuos presence of acid may cause demineralization of the surfaces of the tooth. The recent drop in the number of cavities is largely due to the addition of fluoride to our drinking water. Mass water fluoridation is the most cost-effective measure available to reduce the incidence of tooth decay.

In fact, Facebook live has been a common platform for interactive knowledge sharing with netizens. The establishment of a comprehensive, systematic Incremental Dental Care Programme for schoolchildren. Usually pain and sensitivity is experience during eating or mouth rinsing .When dentine is involved, the decay is more extensive and easily noticable. It is therefore advisable to restore the decay with proper restorative treatment.

By the time there are symptoms, the cavity may have spread to infect the dental pulp, necessitating a root canal procedure or a tooth extraction to eliminate the infection. Always remember that most dental problems are insidious — that is, they sneak up on you. Regular dental exams, at least twice a year, will greatly reduce the likelihood that a dental cavity will go undetected and spread, causing toothache pain and infecting the dental pulp. When these bacteria find carbohydrates, they eat them and produce acid. Before eating, the pH in the mouth is about 6.2 to 7.0, slightly more acidic than water. As “sugary foods” and other carbohydrates are eaten, the pH drops.

Sealants are generally not used on teeth that already have fillings. Patients are sometimes taken off guard when they learn that they have a few cavities but they don’t have any symptoms. It is far better to treat a small cavity than to wait until they have symptoms; such as pain.

At a pH of 5.2 to 5.5 or below, the acid begins to dissolve the hard enamel that forms the outer coating of our teeth. Early childhood caries is tooth decay that occurs in children aged below 6 years old. It is a demineralization process that occurs on teeth in the presence of dental plaque and saliva. Oral healthcare delivery for the lower socio-economic group, targeting the B40 in theProjek Perumahan Rakyat,was initiated in 2018. This is a collaborative project that involves other agencies such as Resident’s Associations and City/Municipal Councils. Basic dental treatment and oral health promotion are provided through scheduled visits, utilising mobile dental clinics, mobile dental teams and mobile dental labs.

According to National Oral Health Survey for Preschool Children and School Children , about three fourth of the 5 to 6 year-old children have caries. The notorious impacts of dental caries are well-documented- from acute effects, such as pain, to long-term consequences like eating difficulty and reduced quality of life. To reduce the incidence of cavities, use toothpaste and mouthwash that contains fluoride. Fluoride is a compound that is added to most tap water supplies, toothpastes, and mouth rinses to reduce cavities.