Dr Pascal Terjanian discusses the dental complications children face during Covid-19 global pandemic and how they can prevented.

  Many families have experienced delays in receiving dental treatment because of the COVID-19 global epidemic. Children with dental problems that could have been quickly resolved inside an office environment would have forced to wait. Dental complications do not improve on their own, on the contrary they deteriorate, requiring additional care.

  Taking a short time to exercise good dental practices is a perfect way to safeguard your child’s teeth during the pandemic and each day.

WHY IS IT NECESSARY TO MAINTAIN GOOD ORAL HEALTH DURING COVID-19?

 According to Dr Pascal Terjanian, the most common childhood disorder is tooth decay in the form of cavities (also known as caries). The good news caries can be avoided. However, once dental decay sets in, this will only get worse. Dentists were unable to treat patients, except for emergencies, at the start of the pandemic. It may have become more difficult to get an appointment after they reopened with new schedules.

DR PASCAL TERJANIAN ADVISES FOLLOWING STEPS TO PREVENT DENTAL COMPLICATIONS DURING GLOBAL PANDEMIC:

• Toothbrushing on a daily basis. Encourage your kids to brush their teeth twice a day for two minutes every time. Apply fluoride toothpaste.
• Make fluoridated water available. Between meals, give your child plain milk and fluoridated water. Juice should be avoided, particularly in the sippy cup.  
• Discourage sugar and fast food. Diet has an effect on dental health. Cavities are more likely to form longer, and more often, your child’s teeth are exposed to sugar and other foods that stick to the teeth (such as cookies, candy, and chips).
• Dental evaluations. The situation varies from country to country as dental services start reopening. They are, however, pursuing guidelines to ensure that patients and members of the dental team are safe. Call your dentist to inquire about their new procedures for seeing patients.

CONSULT THE CHILD’S DENTIST.

  Inquire about the right ways to look for your children’s teeth when you visit your child’s dentist for a check-up or even a sick visit. The dentist will apply fluoride coating during your specific visit to protect the teeth of your child.

  When you’re unable to attend the clinic, your pediatrician might be able to arrange a telehealth meeting to examine your child’s teeth and gums using images or video. You may have to bring your child to a dentist, depending on what is evident.