Stages of dental caries

Dental caries is the most common disease which occur in children. This has increased with time mainly due to changes in diet and lack of awareness about its prevention. However, the vast majority of dental disease is preventable. We aim to provide the best possible start of life without any dental pain and fear of injections. We here believe in the rule of ‘prevention is better than cure’. The preventive measures taken by us are —

1. Proper diet analysis — Diet plays an important role in the development of caries. The frequent snacking habit now days has increased the frequency of caries in children. The frequency of intake of sugar is more dangerous than the total amount consumed. Here we counsel the parents how and when to give sugar containing food items to children so the incidence of caries decreases.
2. Fissure sealants — The peculiar anatomy of child’s teeth consist a lots of ‘pits and fissures’ which act as reservoir for food and plaque to collect, which becomes difficult to clean. These sealants are white thin coating applied on the tooth. They act as a barrier between the tooth and plaque thereby preventing caries.
3. Fluoride gels / varnish — Fluoride is an essential element required for strengthening of tooth. Fluoride is a ‘double edged sword’, deficiency of fluoride cause caries and excess can cause ‘fluorosis’, so an optimum dose is vital. Fluoride application requires complete oral hygiene evaluation, age and sugar consumption. Fluoride varnish are applied directly over the tooth, so that it tightly sticks to the tooth and minimises the risk of swallowing.