Dental and Periodontal Disease Screening-Infant

Dental and Periodontal Disease Screening-Infant

Dental and Periodontal Disease Screening

Summary of Recommendation and Evidence

Population

Recommendation

Grade
(What's This?)

Screening of both Genders

This screening is recommended a best practice.

B

A child's dental care really starts with his or her mother's healthy pregnancy, because baby teeth begin to form before birth. If you are pregnant, make sure to eat a balanced, nutritious diet and get an adequate amount of vitamins and minerals. It's important for pregnant women to have a complete dental exam and have any cavities or gum disease treated.

During your baby’s first year, there are a few conditions to be aware of, including:

Teething

Between 3 and 9 months, your infant's baby teeth will begin to emerge (erupt) into the mouth. Teething may make your child irritable or fussy and may cause restlessness, drooling or loss of appetite. However, it has not been shown to cause any other childhood symptoms.

Baby Bottle Tooth Decay

Baby bottle tooth decay — also called "early childhood dental caries" — is one of the most important issues in infant tooth care. This condition is caused by frequent exposure, over time, to sugary liquids, which can seriously damage a baby’s teeth and overall oral health.

Pacifiers

Sucking is a normal part of development that is comforting to children well into their first years of life. In fact, sucking often brings comfort even after a child no longer needs to get nourishment from a breast or bottle. During a child's first few years, sucking habits probably won't damage his or her mouth. But frequent and long-term sucking can cause problems. This is especially true if the habit continues after baby teeth start to fall out.

Periodontal diseases are a group of diseases that affect the tissues that support and anchor the teeth. Left untreated, periodontal disease results in the destruction of the gums, alveolar bone (the part of the jaws where the teeth arise), and the outer layer of the tooth root.

Periodontal disease most often develops when a pocket or space is formed between the teeth and the gums. This pocket is called the gingival sulcus. A number of distinct forms of periodontal disease are known, including gingivitis, acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis, adult periodontitis, and localized juvenile periodontitis. Although many people have some form of periodontal disease, serious cases are not common.

 

Causes And Symptoms

Bacteria present on the gingival tissues cause periodontal diseases. The mechanisms by which bacteria in the periodontal pocket cause tissue destruction in the surrounding region are not fully understood. However, removal of bacteria through good oral hygiene practices and regular dental care helps reduce or eliminate these diseases. There are indications that a tendency toward developing periodontal disease is genetic, with up to 30 percent of the population being highly susceptible despite aggressive oral hygiene habits.

The main symptoms of periodontal disease include:

  • Bleeding gums
  • Red, sore, or swollen gums
  • Gums that have receded from the base of the teeth
  • Chronic bad breath
  • Loose permanent teeth
  • Open sores on the gums

Diagnosis

Diagnosis of periodontal disease is made by observation of infected gums. Usually a dentist diagnoses and characterizes the various types of periodontal disease.

Many periodontal diseases are distinguished based on the severity of the infection and the number and type of tissues involved.

Diagnosis of periodontitis includes measuring the size of the pockets formed between the gums and teeth. Normal gingival pockets are shallow. If periodontal disease is severe, jawbone loss will be detected in x rays of the teeth. If too much bone is lost, the teeth become loose and can change position. This will also be seen in x-ray images.

Treatment

Tartar can be removed only by professional dental treatment. Following treatment, periodontal tissues usually heal quickly. Administering the needed vitamins and improving diet treats gingivitis caused by poor nutrition or vitamin deficiencies. Removing debris under the flap of gum covering the molar treats pericoronitis.

Treatment of periodontitis requires professional dental care. The pockets around the teeth are cleaned, and all tartar and plaque removed. In periodontitis, tartar and plaque can extend far down the tooth root. Normal dental hygiene, brushing and flossing, cannot reach deep enough to effectively treat periodontitis. In cases where pockets are very deep (more than 0.25 in, or 0.64 cm, deep), surgery is required to clean the pocket. This is performed in a dental office. Sections of gum that are not likely to reattach to the teeth may be removed to promote healing by healthy sections of gum. Abscesses are treated with a combination of antibiotics and surgery. If antibiotics are needed for gum disease, they are usually given orally. The antibiotics may be delivered directly to the infected gum and bone tissues to ensure that high concentrations reach the infected area. Abscess infections, especially of bone, are difficult to treat and require long term antibiotic therapy to prevent a reoccurrence of infection.