4. Is it my fault my child has a cavity? Many parents struggle when they find out they're child has a cavity, though there's no need to panic or be hard on yourself. Take heart and know that a cavity doesn't mean you've failed as a parent or that you've necessarily done anything wrong.
Whenever we consume sugary foods (or foods that break down into sugars inside our mouths), these bacteria feast on the sugars, using them to grow and multiply and metabolizing them into a harmful acidic waste product. Cavity-causing bacteria can be transmitted to children through saliva.
Children ages 6 to 8 years had an average of 4 decayed or filled primary teeth in both NHANES cycles.
Part of the problem is that young kids aren't always good at brushing. It's easy for them to miss spots. And if a child's teeth have a lot of grooves and ridges, it's even easier to leave behind plaque. Heredity may play a role too.
For starters, cavities in young children are not that uncommon. By age 5, about 60 percent of U.S. children will have experienced tooth decay, according to the “State of Little Teeth Report,” a 2014 American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry document based on a survey of 1,000 parents.
Teeth start to appear as early as four months of age, and all primary (“baby”) teeth should be in place by age three. 42% of children develop cavities from age 2 to 11. Nearly 28% of children aged 2 to 5 develop a cavity.
Myth #1: Baby teeth are temporary and don't need fillings.
Tooth decay causes the same damage to oral health whether or not the cavity happens to be on a baby tooth or an adult tooth. A simple dental filling will halt tooth decay and ensure the baby tooth remains healthy until it's naturally due to fall out.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 20% of children between the ages of 5 and 11 have at least one untreated decayed tooth. Cavities are a common disease in children, and some children may be predisposed to them, but there are ways to prevent them. Schedule regular visits to the dentist.
By the age of 4, more than 1 in every 4 children has at least one cavity.
More than half of children aged 6 to 8 have had a cavity in at least one of their baby (primary) teeth. More than half of adolescents aged 12 to 19 have had a cavity in at least one of their permanent teeth.
A dental filling is common for toddlers and children who have one or more cavities. Fillings can take place on permanent teeth, as well as on baby teeth. During the procedure, the dentist removes the tooth decay and then fills the hole with a white composite or metal material.
Tooth decay affects children of all ages.
Dental caries are present in 21% of children between the ages of 2 and 5 and 51% of children between the ages of 6 and 11. The CDC also notes that untreated tooth decay is present in 9% of children between the ages of 2 and 5 and 15% of children between the ages of 6 and 11.
Cavities (tooth decay) in baby teeth used to be known as baby bottle tooth decay. Now it is called early childhood caries. Caries is the medical word for cavities. Children of any age can get cavities, but they form faster in baby teeth than in adult (permanent) teeth.
Older working-age adults 50 to 64 years had the greatest prevalence of decay (96%) in both NHANES cycles. Decay is more prevalent in people who currently smoke compared with those who never or formerly smoked.
Yes, you can reverse a cavity if it's caught in the early stages of demineralization. To reverse a cavity at this stage, your child will need to practice good oral hygiene. They have to correctly brush their teeth two times a day with fluoride toothpaste, floss every night, and reduce the amount of sugar they consume.
Overall, adolescents 12 to 19 years had an average of one missing or decayed permanent tooth per child and those from families with lower incomes had more severe decay in the permanent teeth. Mexican American adolescents had an average of five missing or decayed teeth per child.
A stain on your child's teeth may first appear as a white spot. If the white spot is left to worsen, the tooth decay progresses and leads the white spot to darken. Staining caused by the formation of a cavity can range in color from black to white. It always starts on the surface of the tooth and works its way deeper.
Cavities don't develop overnight. It takes weeks, months, even years for a cavity to form. In fact, most cavities take around six months to five years to develop. If a cavity is caught early enough, you can actually reverse the damage to your child's teeth.
Cavities, also called tooth decay or caries, are caused by a combination of factors, including bacteria in your mouth, frequent snacking, sipping sugary drinks and not cleaning your teeth well.
“About 60% of the risk for tooth decay appears to be due to genetic factors.” Mary L. Marazita, director of the Center for Craniofacial and Dental Genetics at the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine.
In short, fillings in your child's primary teeth are typically just as necessary as fillings in permanent teeth. It's essential to care for your child's primary teeth due to a diversity of reasons: Untreated cavities can cause discomfort and pain. Cavities can lead to other dental problems, including infection.
Children are usually numbed before the procedure starts. As such, they can feel less pain when receiving a filling and also during preparation for the fillings. Of course, they still may feel a strange sensation when water is sprayed inside their mouth and all over their teeth.
It's normal for kids to get fillings, with studies showing that up to 60% of children below the age of 12 require them. Luckily, your kid doesn't have to be one of these statistics. Instead, you can protect them against cavities by instilling proper oral care habits.
Enamel can repair itself by using minerals from saliva, and fluoride from toothpaste or other sources. But if the tooth decay process continues, more minerals are lost. Over time, the enamel is weakened and destroyed, forming a cavity. A cavity is permanent damage that a dentist has to repair with a filling.