5 most common myths about children’s dental treatment
1. Milk teeth shouldn’t be treated.
Definitely, undeniably and for sure – they should:) It is, of course, a fact that baby teeth will ultimately fall out – although there are exceptions even to this rule: if the permanent tooth bud hasn’t developed properly, the deciduous tooth often stays in its place in the oral cavity for years.
However, before the untreated milk tooth does indeed fall out, it can cause a lot of trouble.
Caries in untreated milk dentition can lead to pain, abscesses, fever, damage to the permanent tooth buds and complications with consequences not only for the oral cavity, but also for other organs and systems in our body.
2. Deciduous teeth have no roots.
They have :) That we usually see them without any root is due to the fact that as milk teeth are being replaced with permanent ones, their roots are getting resorbed. So in a way, it may seem that the root “disappears”.
When a sufficiently large part of the root is resorbed, the tooth in question loses its support and falls out – and that is precisely why we often see milk teeth in such a form. However, if we were to look at a non-resorbed deciduous tooth, it would have a completely "normal" root. Therefore, do not fear when a need to extract a deciduous tooth occurs and the doctor pulls out a fully rooted tooth. It doesn’t necessarily mean it was permanent!
3. "Don't be afraid, it won't hurt" is the right form of verbal support.
Almost every parent wants to support their child before and during the visit to a dentist. However, we can often unknowingly and unintentionally cause our children’s fear and anxiety to grow.
By using the phrases "don't be afraid" or "it won't hurt", we arouse anxiety in the child by the sheer need for words with connotations as unpleasant as pain or fear.
After all, when we take a child to the store, playground or an English class, we don't say "it won't hurt", right?
Let’s try to approach the dental visit from this point of view. It’s of course very advisable to be honest, but let's try not to build the link between a concept of a “dentist” and “pain” in advance.
4. Caries occurs because teeth are “weak”...
Although defects of enamel and dentine can be observed in patients’ dentition, the vast majority of tooth decay cases in children is the result of overlarge sugar supply or insufficiently thorough hygiene.
It’s socially accepted that giving children sweets is a "normal thing", but maybe we should think twice before following such a trend.
From the point of view of numerous medical fields and branches, e.g. dentistry, a significant group of children consumes far too much sugar in their diet.
Juices and chips are especially dangerous – especially because parents often don't think of them as being cariogenic! 🧃
5. My kids are independent and can brush their own teeth!
We are very happy that your children are independent. :) However, even very developed and talented offspring is often unable to brush the teeth sufficiently.
A tiny hand will not always reach or manoeuvre around every surface and fissure of a tooth.
What's more, the sense of time can also differ from child to child – young patients have a pronounced habit of shortening the brushing time.
In addition, children often refrain from applying adequate brushing pressure with even a minor discomfort. This can lead to plaque build-up, tooth decay and gingivitis.
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