Oral Care – Brushing The first teeth should be cleaned as soon as they appear in the mouth.

Toothbrush use can be started after the baby’s back teeth have erupted. The important thing at this age is to give the child the habit of brushing teeth. When brushing, children often brush the visible or easily accessible surfaces of their teeth. However, microbes accumulate more easily at the interfaces of the teeth or on the chewing surfaces. This is why parental control is essential after brushing. Milk teeth always guide the teeth to erupt, so they must be carefully protected. Today, fluoride application is the most known substance “fluoride” compounds in strengthening the tooth structure. Fluoride is an element that prevents tooth decay and strengthens the structure of teeth. Professional superficial fluoride application is a method that can only be applied by dentists. Superficial fluoride application is especially applied to children with high caries risk. In this way, a sufficient amount of fluoride is stored on the teeth and strengthens the structure of the teeth, making them resistant to caries. Superficial fluoride application is recommended every 6 months. The chewing surfaces of the teeth are indented. These tiny craters and mounds are called pits and fissures. These areas are very narrow and are often where cavities begin due to the inability to get trapped and cleared. In these areas, a special fluid filling material is used in order to prevent the accumulation of food and microorganisms and accordingly caries.

First of all, this area is completely cleaned and the fluid filling, which we call fissure sealent, is applied to this area. It is hardened by light and polished by correcting the excess. Thanks to this process, it is possible to be protected from chewing surface caries, which constitutes approximately 70% of all caries. The application is ideal for the period when the first permanent teeth appear in the mouth. This is around 6 years old. It is also applied to the others during the eruption of other molars. It will be better to have the application done shortly after the permanent teeth begin to erupt (within 1-2 years). Because the longer the time, the more likely it is to develop cavities and it may be necessary to fill instead of fissure sealant.