NEW SCHOOL TERM
By Francis Ocheng
THOUSANDS of children in Uganda are heading into a new school year. Routine medical examinations ensure that students are in good health before school begins.
When scheduling healthcare appointments, please do not overlook a dental checkup for your child. A dental examination is as important as booster shots and should be a regular part of back-to-school preparations.
Some schools require dental checkups at termly intervals, others yearly. Other schools still have no such requirements. However, children need to see dentists at intervals recommended by the dentists.
Many parents and caregivers don’t realise that serious tooth decay or dental caries is an infectious disease which has no immunisation. This disease is very common and affects the vast majority of individuals.
A preliminary survey done at Mengo Hospital dental clinic indicates that more than one-half of all children aged between five to nine years that come to the clinic for check- ups have at least one cavity or filling.
Although cavies were not common in the developing world, the recent affluence in these regions has resulted in a remarkable increase in caries due to the ready and cheap availability of fermentable carbohydrates.
In contrast, caries prevalence is falling overall in the developed world due to increased awareness of cariogenic food sources and the general improvement in oral hygiene and dental care delivery systems.
Dental caries is the localised destruction of the hard tissues of the tooth by bacterial fermentation of dietary carbohydrates. If left untreated, the destruction continues and this may result into toothache.
A painful tooth or chronic dental problem can lead to difficulty in eating, speaking and concentrating.
Children with chronic dental pain may not always voice their problem. They may appear anxious, depressed or tired, and teachers may not even recognise their pain.
Dental problems also cause many children to miss school. Regular dental checkups and preventive dental care such as cleanings and fluoride treatment, will therefore provide “smile†insurance to your child.
Routine dental examinations uncover problems that can be treated in the early stages, when damage is minimal and restorations may be small.
This helps prevent painful, chronic conditions and saves money. When necessary, radiographs (commonly called “X-raysâ€) are taken to see how the teeth are developing and to spot hidden decay.
Because children’s needs differ, your dentist is best able to suggest a schedule of visits for your child. The frequency of dental visits will depend partly on the child’s eating habits, how clean the teeth are kept, past treatment needs, whether the child drinks fluoridated water, and other factors that can affect the likelihood of dental diseases.
Protecting a healthy smile
Dental sealants are another option for keeping teeth healthy.
A sealant is a plastic material that the dentist applies to the chewing surfaces of the back teeth (the premolars and molars).
Sealants form a barrier that protects teeth from plaque, a sticky film of acid-producing bacteria.
Sealants hold up well under the force of normal chewing arid usually last several years before a reapplication is needed.
Besides a dental checkup your child may be due for a new toothbrush.
It is recommended that tooth brushes are replaced every three to four months or sooner if bristles are worn out. A worn out toothbrush cannot do a thorough job of cleaning teeth.
Look for products that are good and select a child-sized toothbrush to ease of usage.
Children may be able to brush their teeth by the age of seven years, but may need supervision while brushing until about age 10 or 11 years.
Flossing removes plaque from between teeth, where a toothbrush can not reach.
However, flossing is a more difficult skill to master. Floss your child’s teeth until at about age 10, after which he or she should be able to floss alone, but under adult supervision.
The writer is a dental surgeon