What is pedodontics (pediatric dentistry)?

Pedodontics is a branch of dentistry that deals with the healthy development, protection and treatment of milk and permanent teeth of children between the ages of 0-13. Children's dental health should be checked regularly starting  from infancy and all preventive and therapeutic practices necessary for oral and dental health should be carried out.

Why are milk teeth important?

Milk teeth are extremely important for children’s growth and development. They enable feeding, chewing, speaking and the correct pronunciation of words after learning to speak and a beautiful smile. One of the most important tasks of milk teeth is to protect the location of the permanent teeth that will come from below and to ensure that the permanent teeth come out correctly. Milk teeth ensure the normal development of children's maxilla-mandibula and jaw muscles. Children's self-confidence may decrease in school life, especially due to the early loss of milk teeth in the front area. Regular dentist checks, early diagnosis and treatments are very important for pediatric patients.

What are the causes of caries that occur at an early age?

Tooth decay occurs when acid-forming bacteria in the mouth coexist with dietary carbohydrates in the dental tissues for a certain period of time (at least 30 minutes). These bacteria are not present when the baby does not have teeth. These bacteria are usually transmitted to children when parents or caregivers check the taste or temperature of the food before the meal and then give it to the child with the same spoon, the mother takes the baby's pacifier to her own mouth to clean it, and kisses the baby's lips. Especially, putting the baby to sleep while the bottle is in the mouth, adding sugar to the bottle and giving it to the baby, giving pacifiers by dipping them in sweetening foods such as honey and jam, and not paying attention to brushing after teeth eruption cause cavities.

What should be done to prevent the formation of early childhood caries?

The most important thing to do to prevent early childhood caries before it occurs is to provide oral hygiene education to parents. Regular dental check-ups should be performed from the moment the milk teeth of babies begin to come out.  The most effective preventive method is to instill the habit of brushing teeth in children at an early age. To prevent the formation of early childhood caries, babies should not be put to sleep with bottles containing sugar. After the first milk teeth erupt, babies should not be breastfed at night unless necessary. Pacifiers should not be given by dipping them in sugary foods. Sugar-containing diets should be avoided as much as possible.

What are the foods that prevent tooth decay?

Protein-containing foods such as cheese, milk, eggs provide strengthening of the teeth. Products containing probiotics, such as milk or yogurt, kefir, prevent tooth decay. Fibrous foods such as peanuts, apples, celery, carrots help in their mechanical cleaning, preventing tooth decay.

In what cases is general anesthesia performed in children?

*In cases where the behavioral method techniques that must be applied even when treating the most compatible and healthy pediatric patients are not sufficient,

*In cases where the patient is incompatible despite the trial of all kinds of non-drug methods,

*In children who cannot be contacted for mental, physical or psychological reasons,

* In children who are extremely afraid of dental procedures and need to be performed in large numbers,

*In cases where local anesthesia is not successful in the clinical environment

*In cases where allergic to local anesthesia in children, various sedation techniques and treatment options under general anesthesia are the solutions.