Dental fluorosis - causes, features and methods of treating the disease. Fluorosis in children fluorosis is an endemic disease

Main symptoms:

White streaks on teeth
Bone pain
Visibility of dentin
Chalky stains on teeth
Violation of tooth shape
Lack of shine on tooth enamel
Lack of enamel in affected areas
Damage to tooth enamel
Reduced joint mobility
Dark spots on teeth
Erosion of tooth enamel

Fluorosis is pathological condition, in which the structural integrity of the enamel is violated. In the vast majority of cases, the disease is diagnosed in children. The main reason for the development of such a disorder is that the body gets into the body for a long time. a large number of fluorine Depending on what served etiological factor disease, its type will differ.

The symptoms of the disease are difficult to ignore, since they are expressed in the appearance of spots and stripes of a yellowish tint on the teeth, abrasion of the enamel, and the formation of erosions and chips.

Diagnosis of pathology does not cause difficulties and is limited only to an examination by a dentist. Elimination of the disease is based on dental procedures.

IN international classification diseases ICD-10 similar dental problem has a code - K03.

Etiology

The fundamental factor in the formation of the disease is an excess of fluoride in the human body. Its high content in the human body may be due to several reasons:

drinking drinking water, enriched with fluorine;
specific working conditions under which there is an excess amount of compounds of a similar element in the air.

It follows from this that dental fluorosis in children and adults can develop in a limited area or in the conditions of a single enterprise. However, not all children living in the same territory may develop similar pathology. Those with weakened immune systems are most susceptible to it.

The negative effect of fluoride on teeth is explained by the fact that such a substance is actively sorbed by the body. The presence of such an element in food or toothpaste will not harm the teeth.

The main risk group is children from five to fifteen years old. Such age category is explained by the structural features of young teeth, the enamel of which is not yet strong enough. In such cases, they talk about fluorosis of baby teeth, which often goes away on its own when a teenager replaces all of his teeth with molars. However, symptoms of the disease may be present during the eruption of permanent teeth.

The norm for fluoride is one mg per liter of liquid. It is noteworthy that a lack of such a substance can also lead to problems with teeth -.

Classification

Modern dentists identify the following forms of fluorosis:

dashed;
spotted;
erosive;
destructive;
chalky mottled.

Each of these types of disease has a different clinical picture.

For the reasons for the formation of such a disorder, it is divided into:

endemic dental fluorosis– most common form an illness that is diagnosed among people living in regions where the fluoride content in water is higher than one and a half milligrams per liter;
occupational fluorosis– noted in workers who are constantly in contact with this substance. In addition to violating the integrity of the tooth enamel, it leads to damage to the skeletal bones, against the background of which there is a significant decrease in motor functions joints.

In addition, the following varieties are widespread similar disease:

neighbor fluorosis– formed in those individuals who live for a long time near industrial enterprises that use a similar element;
iatrogenic fluorosis– occurs in cases of irrational use of toothpastes enriched with such a component.

In addition, the disease has several degrees of severity:

light– is expressed in the fact that the color of the enamel remains practically unchanged;
moderate– the prevalence of pathology does not exceed 25% of the entire tooth area;
moderate– spots and stripes cover 50% of the tooth;
heavy– there is significant deformation of the tooth, the enamel wears off and chips. Pathological process may extend to bone tissue skeleton.

Symptoms

Since there are quite a large number of different forms of the disease, each of them has its own characteristic clinical signs.

Thus, the dashed form of the disease is expressed in:

the formation of whitish streaks or stripes on the incisors. This means that they are not visible to the naked eye, but in some cases they can be subtle. The dentist detects them by drying the surface of the affected tooth;
merging of stripes into large spots.

The spotted form of the disease has the following symptoms:

formation of pronounced multiple whitish spots on the surface of the teeth;
combining small spots into one large one;
shiny and smooth surface of such a neoplasm;
blurred outlines that smoothly transition to healthy tooth enamel.

The chalky-mottled form of fluorosis is different:

matte shade of enamel;
clearly manifested age spots or point lesions;
the appearance of areas of destruction, which are inclusions no more than 0.2 millimeters in depth and up to 1.5 millimeters in diameter;
rapid destruction of enamel;
visibility of dentin.

Erosive form Fluorosis has the following symptoms:

the appearance of deep erosions on the teeth;
complete absence enamel in affected areas.

The destructive form of fluorosis is characterized by the presence of:

erosive lesions and abrasion of not only enamel, but also other layers of the tooth;
violations of the shape of the crown, which occurs against the background of fragility and breaking of teeth.

The two main types of the disease can be distinguished by the following factors:

the professional type does not in all cases lead to the appearance of stains or erosions on the teeth;
fluorosis caused by specific conditions labor is always complemented by bones and a significant decrease in joint activity;
in advanced cases of the disease, vegetative-vascular pathologies and impaired liver function are observed. In some cases, it may form malignancy bone disease, which is called osteosarcoma.

This symptomatology is typical for both adults and children. However, it is necessary to take into account that in children any disease develops more rapidly and is more severe.

Diagnostics

The dentist will be able to make a diagnosis based on what symptoms predominate in the patient. clinical picture. The basis of diagnosis is examination oral cavity using dental instruments.

Among laboratory examinations It is worth highlighting only the study of the water that the patient takes orally. This is done to determine the concentration of fluoride in it.

Treatment

Depending on the type of fluorosis, the doctor will tell you how to treat it.

First of all, absolutely all patients are recommended to drink only filtered water. In addition, it is necessary to abandon toothpaste and other substances intended to perform hygiene procedures in the oral cavity, which even contain minimal amount fluorine

Removing a damaged area of a tooth and then filling it is not advisable for fluorosis in children or adults. This is explained by the fact that such actions often lead to the filling falling out and the tooth undergoing further destruction.

As drug treatment To treat the disease, medications enriched with substances such as calcium and phosphorus are used.

For mild cases it is indicated:

teeth whitening;
remineralization of affected teeth. This procedure consists of applying a phosphorus and calcium compound to the teeth using electrophoresis, ultraphonophoresis or by application. For getting positive effect such therapy will require at least ten procedures, and full course includes approximately twenty procedures.

After such treatment, the use of a special remineralizing toothpaste is recommended, which can be used at home - medicinal mouthguards are used for this. Contraindications to such therapy are:

period of bearing a child;
breast-feeding baby;
individual intolerance to the drug;
heavy ;
multiple caries.

Tooth whitening does not make sense for the following forms of fluorosis:

chalky speckled;
erosive;
destructive.

In such situations, the only way to get rid of the problem is by restoring teeth using veneers or lumineers.

In advanced cases of the disease, dental treatment can only be carried out by installing a crown made of dental ceramics or metal-ceramics.

Good results can be achieved with the help of traditional medicine, which should be used only as part of complex treatment. The most effective herbal and natural means are:

strawberry or wild strawberry juice;
ethereal lemon oil;
eggplant powder;
wood ash;
White clay;
sea salt;
chamomile and calendula;
horsetail and mint;
oak or calamus root;
yarrow and hops;
currant or nettle leaves;
tansy and wormwood.

Prevention

To prevent the development of such a disease it is necessary:

drink only purified water;
periodically, rather than regularly, use toothpaste that contains fluoride;
enrich the diet with calcium;
adhere to all safety rules for professional contact with fluoride;
Visit the dentist once every three months.

This prevention of fluorosis is indicated for both adults and children.

The prognosis of the disease is often favorable, but provided that all preventive recommendations and at timely application for qualified help.

Fluorosis develops due to an excess of fluoride in water intended for drinking and cooking. Microelements found in food products are absorbed much worse. Fluorides dissolved in water are absorbed much better. If the fluorine concentration exceeds 1 mg/l, then its excess content in children's body may provoke the development of fluorosis.

This disease is typical only for molars. Baby teeth are formed in the womb, where the amount of fluoride supplied is limited.

Fluorosis manifests itself in teething children who have previously lived for at least several years in an area with high concentration fluoride in water, since significant deposits of fluoride in the body are necessary for the development of the disease.

Fluoride inhaled in the air can provoke the development of pathology much less often. This is typical only for those children who live in close proximity to aluminum smelters with bad system industrial zone cleaning.

If the fluoride level exceeds the norm by more than 6 times, then fluorosis can appear on healthy children's teeth. In this case, the development of the disease occurs faster due to the excessive amount of fluoride in the child’s body.

Symptoms

Depending on the severity, the following types of dental enamel pathology are distinguished:

Stroke. Manifestations are mild, distinguishing feature- the appearance of chalk stripes (strokes) on the incisors. When the enamel dries, these stripes become much more noticeable. Sometimes spots appear on the teeth, on the surface of which there are longitudinal strokes.
Spotted. Can affect the enamel of any tooth. Its manifestations are shiny dots and large spots with a smooth surface. The spots do not have clear boundaries and smoothly transition to healthy areas of the enamel.
Chalky speckled. The affected teeth have a dull (in some cases yellowish) tint. Diseased teeth have clearly defined pigmented dots and spots. This type of fluorosis is characterized by the formation of small depressions in the tooth enamel. Their bottoms also have pigmentation. IN severe cases The enamel is destroyed and exposes dark brown dentin.
Erosive. IN in this case Significant areas of tooth enamel are subject to erosion (destruction), chewing teeth it is completely erased.
Destructive. Develops at a fluorine concentration in water of at least 10 mg/l. In this case, the enamel and dentin are destroyed, the teeth themselves gradually crumble, and the shape of the tooth is disrupted.

Diagnosis of fluorosis in a child

To determine the disease, a specialist only needs to visually examine the child’s oral cavity. In order to determine the exact cause and develop a treatment and prevention regimen, you need to take drinking water samples to determine the level of fluoride.

Complications

If you continue to use water with a high (and even more so increased) fluoride content, it can lead to damage to all teeth.

Fluorosis is a danger with physiological point vision. Violation of the enamel leads to painful sensations when temperature changes and chewing food. Due to this, children chew worse, which can lead to difficulties with the digestive system.

Of great importance appearance surface of the tooth. Because of cosmetic defects Children may have difficulty communicating with peers and adapting to a group of children. There are cases of more complex psychological difficulties.

Treatment

What can you do

Parents can hand over the water themselves laboratory analysis, which will name deviations in fluoride levels from the norm.

If the enamel color uniformity changes, you should contact a pediatric dentist who will help in treating the child’s teeth.

Do not under any circumstances start the disease, as the development of fluorosis threatens total loss molars.

To prevent the development of the disease, it is necessary to resolve the issue of water mineralization. You can install softening filters or use purchased water with an acceptable fluoride content.

It is important to avoid the use of toothpastes with fluoride, which will have an additional destructive effect on the child’s tooth enamel.

What does a doctor do

The dentist will not remove the affected area and fill it with composites. This in most cases leads to destruction of the filling and the tooth itself. In some cases, fillings made of glass ionomer cement are used for restoration, which does not destroy the enamel structure.

First of all, a specialist prescribes calcium and phosphorus supplements for general remineralization of the body.

With mild manifestations of fluorosis, the child has enough cosmetic procedures for whitening tooth enamel. This procedure can be carried out using:

laser exposure,
LED irradiation,
chemical intervention.

To consolidate the effect, a course (of 10-20 sessions) of local remineralization is required. This procedure involves applying a phosphorus-calcium compound to the bleached areas by application, ultraphonophoresis or electrophoresis.

For fluorosis moderate severity veneer or lumineer restoration of the affected tooth or several teeth is used.

IN difficult cases When hard tooth tissues are destroyed, it is recommended to install crowns on damaged teeth.

Prevention

To avoid fluorosis in children, parents living in regions with excessive fluoride content in water should take care of high-quality drinking water for their child. To do this, you need to change the water source or install cleaning filters.

It is advisable to abandon artificial feeding and early introduction of complementary foods. At an older age, it is necessary to observe balanced diet, including products with high content calcium and phosphorus. A child's diet should contain limited amounts of fluoride products:

fatty fish,
meat products,
strong black tea,
butter ghee.

It is important to include in your diet foods containing vitamins A, C, D. If necessary, you should take fortification courses.

In the article you will read everything about methods of treating a disease such as fluorosis in children. Find out what effective first aid should be. How to treat: choose medications or traditional methods?

You will also learn what can be dangerous untimely treatment the disease fluorosis in children, and why it is so important to avoid the consequences. All about how to prevent fluorosis in children and prevent complications.

And caring parents will find on the service pages complete information about the symptoms of fluorosis in children. How do the signs of the disease in children aged 1, 2 and 3 differ from the manifestations of the disease in children aged 4, 5, 6 and 7? What is the best way to treat fluorosis in children?

Take care of the health of your loved ones and stay in good shape!

Dental fluorosis is manifested by pathological changes in tooth enamel. The cause of the disease is fluoride accumulation in organism.

Fluorosis occurs two types: endemic and professional.

When disease occurs, the surface of dental crowns is subjected to destructive processes, and dark or whitish spots appear on the enamel. spots, which gave the disease second name- speckled enamel.

Causes of fluorosis

The formation of fluorous stains on teeth begins due to the increased content of fluoride, the reasons for which are:

production with a high level of fluorine in the air;
drinking water oversaturated with fluoride compounds.

Professional fluorosis is different from endemic the following manifestations:

there is a decrease in joint mobility, painful sensations V musculoskeletal system;
on tooth enamel not always spots appear.

The negative effect of water supersaturated with fluoride on tooth enamel occurs due to the fact that the body actively absorbs fluoride. Toothpaste or products containing this element, don't represent such a threat.

Reference. Occupational fluorosis is less common and has territorial character.

Both adults and children are at risk of developing fluorosis. However, schoolchildren are more susceptible to the appearance of fluorosis stains on the surface of their teeth. This is explained by the fact that the enamel of young teeth not so strong like adults. The disease manifests itself in an environment favorable to it - when there is fluoride in the water more than 1.7 mg/l. It is considered the children's norm 4 mg fluoride per day. Once a child drinks a liter of such water or consumes products containing fluoride, the risk of developing speckled enamel increases significantly.

Adults are less at risk for fluorosis because their daily fluoride requirement is 5 mg— drinking water has little effect on the condition of tooth enamel.

Important! When the content of fluoride compounds in drinking water increases to 7 mg/l the risk of fluorosis on teeth and in adults increases.

Symptoms of fluorosis in children on milk and molars

Bone tissue formation occurs in a child's body.

Excessive levels of fluoride compounds have a negative effect: calcium salts bind and leave the body, causing softening bone tissue, tooth enamel structure becomes loose.

The causes of the disease are:

excessive concentration of fluoride in products;
decreased immunity;
weakened body after illness.

Fluorosis affects babies with baby teeth, especially those who are bottle-fed. But more often the disease threatens children of primary school and adolescence. Fluorosis occurs when permanent molars grow, as well as when drinking water supersaturated with fluoride before the age of three or four.

Water with fluoride compounds has no effect negative influence on milk molars, since their formation occurs in the mother’s womb - in this case, the fetus is reliably protected by placenta from exposure harmful substances.

What it is? Classification of fluorosis and photos

Highlight five shapes:

dashed;
spotted;
mottled chalky;
erosive;
destructive.

Each of these forms has its own features and symptoms:

Photo 1. The streak form of fluorosis, in which the teeth are covered with white stripes.

At dashed shaped teeth upper jaw covered with chalky white stripes. Then the stripes increase and transform into spots yellow color.

Photo 2. The stripes increase and become spots on different areas crowns: light or dark.

Spotted the form of the disease is similar to another dental disease - caries. The etiology of caries differs from the causes of fluorosis, but they can develop in parallel. Caries is characterized by a single lesion of the dental crown, the place of its appearance is the chewing tubercles, while fluorosis affects crown surfaces of several teeth at once.

Photo 3. Speckled chalky form. Stains different colors on the entire surface of the teeth.

At mottled chalky uniform is covered with spots all over dental crown, the enamel breaks off in small pieces. She gains like Brown color, and a white-matte shade.

Photo 4. With the erosive form, the destruction of the enamel in the areas of the spots begins.

Erosive the form manifests itself in pronounced pigmentation and dystrophic changes tooth enamel. Some areas of the crown lose their coverage, and discomfort occurs when eating hot and cold food.

Photo 5. Destructive form of fluorosis. Gradual destruction of tooth enamel and their abrasion.

Destructive form is particularly dangerous and can spread to skeletal bones. This form occurs when drinking water whose fluoride content exceeds 25 mg/l. With this form, certain sections of the crowns break off.

Treatment options

To avoid the appearance of mottled enamel, carry out analysis drinking water for fluoride content. If the amount of its compounds is increased, it is necessary to stop using this water or purify it with a filter.

When detecting fluorosis in children immediately start treatment to avoid complete tooth decay.

Important! Only for children Dentist will pick up suitable way treatment depending on the severity of the disease.

Mild severity

The enamel is damaged slightly, the disease appeared recently. The following treatment methods are used:

Whitening

Laser- two-minute exposure to laser beams on a diseased tooth. Before starting bleaching, a special gel is applied to the affected areas.
LED— the affected areas of the enamel are irradiated with lamp light.
Chemical— to treat the tooth surface, use a special solution (hydrogen peroxide, carbamide peroxide, enzymes, acids).

Remineralization

With this procedure, the surface of the damaged tooth supplied with minerals in the process of applying special applications. When exposed to electrophoresis, the enamel is saturated with calcium and phosphorus. The course consists of 10–25 procedures.

Average degree

With this course of the disease teeth are restored using veneer and lumineer restoration.

Veneers Suitable for mottled-chalky type of fluorosis. These are thin plates that the dentist places on the surface of the teeth. With the help of veneers, teeth are given a beautiful shape. The advantage is their invisibility.
Lumineers- thicker and denser than veneers. Made from porcelain with crystalline impurities. Securely attach to teeth. Wearing period - up to 10 years.
Orthodontic plates— installation of temporary plates, which are gradually replaced by permanent ones. Before the procedure, each tooth is ground, polished, a plaster cast is taken, and a plate is created in three dimensions. Installation lasts two weeks. Contraindicated in large quantities carious teeth or malocclusion.

Severe disease

In this case, the teeth are severely destroyed. The only way treatment remains replacing sick teeth metal or metal-ceramic crowns.

Among the many troubles, health threatening teeth, fluorosis occupies a special place. Its treatment is very specific and can be carried out both in conditions dental office, and at home.

Fluorosis is a pathology of tooth enamel that occurs from excess fluoride in the body. It all starts with the appearance of whitish spots (sometimes stripes) on the teeth. Over time, the spots become yellow or brownish. The enamel gradually wears off. Numerous eroded areas and chips appear on the teeth. Advanced fluorosis can cause bone disease.

Forms of fluorosis

The disease is classified according to two criteria - etiology, i.e. cause of appearance and clinical manifestations.

The first sign allows us to distinguish two forms of the disease:

Professional - this form often affects workers employed in industries with high content fluoride compounds in the inhaled air, such as in the aluminum industry. This type of fluorosis can affect the body without appearing on the teeth. It causes pathologies of the musculoskeletal system such as osteoporosis and osteosclerosis. On late stages the liver suffers, then the blood vessels, and the sad result can be an oncological process in the bones.
Endemic is chronic illness teeth, which affects those who live in areas with an excess of fluoride in tap water. It appears as white or striped patches on the enamel, which turn brown after a few years. The upper incisors are usually affected, less often the lower ones.

The second sign is clinical, of which five forms are distinguished:

Lined. She, like the spotted one, is considered mild degree diseases. Characterized by the appearance of streak-like stripes on the incisors. The lesions are barely noticeable, but when the surface of the tooth dries, they can be seen as fairly clear “striations.” As the lesions grow larger, they merge into spots, but their “striped” structure is preserved. This sign is one of the most frequently encountered.
Spotted. This light form diseases. It manifests itself by the appearance of a large number of whitish spots on the tooth enamel, which are clearly visible and can eventually merge into fragments of more large size. Their surface is smooth and even, there are no clear boundaries.
Chalky speckled. This is already fluorosis medium degree gravity. This shape makes the tooth enamel matte, covered with yellowish specks. different sizes. As these inclusions grow, they destroy upper layer enamel, forming depressions up to 0.2 mm. It all ends with intense and rapid erasure of the enamel.
Erosive. It is considered a severe form of the disease. Covers the surface of the teeth large spots, forming areas of erosion, under which the enamel is corroded, and over time may disappear completely.
Destructive. Just like erosive, this form is considered a severe manifestation of the disease. With this course of fluorosis, not only the enamel is destroyed, but also more deep tissue tooth The shape of the tooth is disrupted, fragility appears, and chips occur. Residents of areas where the fluoride content is several times higher than the norm suffer from a destructive form of fluorosis.

Often, those suffering from fluorosis have a combination of several of its forms.

See about the service life of such crowns.

Dental fluorosis: treatment

The principles of treatment are to reduce the amount of fluoride consumed in water and eliminate the consequences of dental damage.

The following treatment should be started:

exclude from the diet dangerous drinking water with an excess of fluoride. It is recommended to test tap water for fluoride by submitting samples for analysis to a special laboratory. If the fluoride content is exceeded, the water will have to be purified before use or drink tested water from another source;
refuse oral hygiene products with increased content fluorine;
discuss with your doctor the need for treatment pharmaceutical drugs phosphorus and calcium.

A feature of dental treatment for severe fluorosis is the low effectiveness of standard filling with preliminary cleaning of the affected area. This method is not used because the filling will inevitably fall out and the destruction of the tooth structure will continue.

As a therapy for mild form fluorosis, it is possible to whiten teeth followed by remineralization, when the thinnest layer of enamel is removed, and then applied to the surface of the tooth using electrophoresis or the application method mineral composition(calcium with phosphorus), allowing to restore its structure over time. This technology gives good effect, if used in an amount of at least 20 procedures per course of treatment.

At average and severe forms illness, enamel lightening is not used, because it has no effect. In these cases, we can only talk about restoration.

Teeth whitening

This is done in different ways:

Laser whitening is when the surface of the teeth is treated with a gel containing hydrogen peroxide. Each tooth is then exposed to the laser beam for 2 minutes.
Chemical bleaching is carried out with a composition based on enzymes, hydrogen peroxide, and other components.
Mechanical hardware whitening using Air-Flow technology. This method is based on the action of water in combination with air and a special powder. Is effective on initial stages diseases.

After whitening, tooth sensitivity increases. Therefore, within a few days you will have to reduce it with special pastes and rinses.

Unfortunately, bleaching is contraindicated if:

the presence of a large number of caries lesions;
exposure of tooth roots;
various gum diseases;
allergies to the ingredients of bleaching mixtures;
pregnancy and lactation.

During the whitening procedure, you must follow a diet, excluding from your diet foods that irritate your teeth (sweets, as well as sour, cold and hot foods).

Treatment at the dentist

The presence of large areas of fluorosis on the teeth requires treatment by a specialist, since simply lightening the enamel in such cases does not solve the problem.

Sometimes, taking into account a specific situation, dentists offer filling with composite materials, installation of veneers or orthopedic crowns.

Fluorosis: treatment at home

Home treatment is limited to teeth whitening.

The following home therapy options are available:

using a whitening pencil. This pencil is a very handy thing. You can take it with you, for example, to work and use it to clean your teeth when it is not possible to do this with a brush;
use of whitening toothpastes for daily oral hygiene. Exist special compounds for teeth with fluorosis lesions. Such pastes and gels do not contain fluoride, but they contain useful essential oils and enzymes.
whitening using dental trays (they are worn with a special gel at night);

Folk remedies

Traditional medicine has in its inexhaustible arsenal many recipes for fluorosis and actively offers them for use.

When choosing the best option for yourself, it is important to understand that traditional treatment It can only slightly lighten tooth enamel, but not restore it.

Therefore, for serious lesions, such treatment will not be effective.

And for those who are recklessly ready to whiten enamel using traditional methods, it is important not to forget about restoring the structure of the teeth after their lightening. IN otherwise you can earn increased sensitivity which will require additional treatment.

Now directly about folk remedies treatment of early fluorosis:

You can whiten barely visible stains on your teeth lemon peel- finely chop and rub it on the affected areas of enamel. You can also treat yourself with Dead Sea salt: grind it in a coffee grinder to a powder and rub your teeth twice a month.
Brush your teeth with a whitening solution once a week: 3 drops lemon juice a pinch baking soda.
Can be done medicinal mixture from toothpaste, powder Dead salt sea, drinking (baking) soda and 1 drop essential oil grapefruit (or lemon). Brush your teeth with this mixture from time to time in the morning.

It is easier to prevent any disease than to treat it. To do this, you need to know and follow preventive measures.

To avoid getting sick, you must:

Drink water only with the permissible amount of fluoride - no more than 1.5 mg/l;
carefully plan your diet, avoiding excessive consumption of fluoride-containing products such as butter and fish;
monitor the condition of your teeth, and at the first signs of fluorosis, go to the dentist.

Parents should know that proper prevention Fluorosis begins almost from birth. Therefore, there is no need to rush early artificial feeding child. During the complementary feeding period, it is necessary to give the baby a sufficient amount of dairy products, juices, and ensure that the body receives vitamins C and D, as well as calcium gluconate, taking into account the body’s needs. Therefore, if the pediatrician does not object, you should take care of taking these medications.

Video on the topic

Children's teeth, like adults' teeth, require regular care. Big influence The beauty of a smile is influenced not only by their hygiene, but also by the food entering the body. Exist various substances, which not only have a beneficial effect on the structure of teeth in children, but can also have a negative effect. For example, fluoride can lead to a disease that is classified as fluorosis.

Fluorosis in children. Photo

What is fluorosis

Fluorosis is a dental disease that damages the enamel. This is due to an excess of fluoride in the body. A large amount of it enters the body long time, can cause damage to enamel and pathological changes in bone tissue. Fluorosis in children is also called mottled enamel syndrome.

There are two types of disease that are associated with changes in the structure of the enamel:

Endemic, which causes illness due to drinking water with an excess of fluoride.
Professional, which appears in people working in enterprises and factories with hazardous substances.

The first type of disease is typical for children. Also, dental fluorosis in children can be divided into several stages.

In the first stage, changes in the enamel on the front teeth are observed only on the front side. These signs are noticeable without any diagnostic measures. This stage is called streak-like, due to the appearance of small stripes in the form of streaks.
In the second stage, there are distinct white or yellowish spots on the front teeth. It is a spotted form due to the appearance of spots various shapes and sizes. They can be single or multiple.
The third stage is characterized by damage to all teeth. This is a chalky-mottled form, in which the enamel color can be of any shade. At this stage, rapid tooth wear occurs.
At the fourth stage, serious erosions are observed, which quickly destroy the enamel on all teeth. This stage is characterized by rapid progression of the disease, which can only be stopped by a dentist. This is a destructive form, which is also characterized by the appearance of chips.
Next, the disease almost completely thins out all the enamel, and the teeth begin to quickly deteriorate. This is an erosive stage, which is characterized by a dark brown color of the teeth and strong sensations pain while eating.

IMPORTANT: A visit to the dentist should be mandatory, as deformation and loss of teeth are possible.

Reasons for appearance

The main reason is the use of fluoridated water. In children, the disease appears due to the large amount of fluoride in drinking water. Drinking liquid and using it for cooking becomes main reason the appearance of fluorosis. Even if there is an excess of fluoride in food, it is not so dangerous, since it is absorbed in the body in small quantities. This element in liquid is very quickly absorbed by the child’s body. Therefore, if a child lives in an area where there is an excess of drinking water, parents are advised to buy bottled water in stores.
Food. There is quite a lot of fluoride in black and green tea, as well as in seafood. Therefore, their excessive consumption can also lead to illness.
Medications. At long-term treatment medications that contain large amounts of fluoride can also lead to illness.

IMPORTANT: The disease affects only the molars.

Signs and symptoms

Treatment of fluorosis in children can only begin after visiting a doctor, who will conduct an examination and make a diagnosis based on the symptoms. The most common signs of the disease are:

The appearance of small stripes on the incisors.
Drying the enamel.
Large spots or small shiny dots.
Spots without clear outlines. They can merge with each other.
Matte color of diseased teeth.
Indentations may appear in the tooth enamel as the disease progresses.
Complete destruction of the chewing incisors.
Disturbances in the shape of teeth.
Dentin destruction.
Increased fragility of enamel.
Oral discomfort and pain.
The incisors lose their external shine.
Increased tooth sensitivity to cold, hot or sweet foods.
Presence of chips.
Wearing of teeth down to the gums.

If parents doubt that their child has the disease, you can find out on the Internet what fluorosis looks like in children in the photo.

Teeth damaged by fluorosis

Diagnostics

Many parents begin to panic when they discover dental fluorosis in their children and do not know what to do. It is necessary to visit at the first signs of illness pediatric dentist. It is the doctor who must examine the oral cavity and make a diagnosis. This will allow you to select adequate treatment.

There is no need for a doctor to conduct complex procedures to make a diagnosis. Enough to do visual inspection, identify the cause of the disease and prescribe a treatment regimen. If the problem lies in the use of drinking water, it is necessary to conduct an analysis in a special laboratory to determine the amount of fluoride it contains.

Complications

It is important to exclude the cause that provoked the disease. Otherwise, there is Great chance that over time, all the child’s teeth will decay. This, in turn, can provoke diseases digestive system, since he will not chew food well.

Also, the appearance of damaged teeth can lead to psychological problems. Therefore, treatment must begin at the first signs of disease development.

Treatment of fluorosis in children

If parents discover dental fluorosis in children, treatment should be immediate, as the disease can eventually lead to complete tooth destruction. How to cure fluorosis in children?

There are several treatment methods that can only be determined by a pediatric dentist.

Remineralization

If the damage to the enamel is minor and the disease has just appeared, the most effective method is remineralization. The essence of the procedure is to provide the damaged surface with essential minerals and microelements. Special applications are applied to the incisors, which, using electrophoresis, help saturate the enamel with calcium and phosphorus. The course of this type of therapy can range from 10 to 25 procedures.

Quite often they use a drug such as Remodent, which contains animal bone tissue.

Remineralization process

Whitening

There are several whitening methods that can be performed on a child.
Chemical, in which the surface is treated with a special solution of hydrogen peroxide, carbamide peroxide, enzymes and acids;
Laser, in which the diseased incisor is exposed to a beam of laser beams for 2 minutes. Before the procedure, the lesions are treated with a special gel;
LED, the essence of which is to irradiate the affected areas with a lamp.

Application of veneers

This method is effective for the chalky-mottled form of the disease. The dentist places thin plates on the teeth, which give them beautiful shape. They are installed in one visit to the doctor and are practically invisible.

Installation of orthodontic plates

The procedure lasts more than 2 weeks. First, the dentist installs temporary plates for the child, gradually replacing them with permanent ones. Before installing them, each tooth is ground, polished, a special plaster cast is made, and then a veneer is produced in 3 dimensions using a computer.

This procedure cannot be performed if:

the child has many teeth affected by caries;
malocclusions were identified.

Application of veneers

Application of lumineers

Compared to veneers, they are thicker and have high density. They are made from porcelain mixed with crystals. They are securely attached to the dentition, and their service life is up to 10 years.

IMPORTANT: At advanced stage For diseases, only teeth replacement is performed. The child is given a crown made of metal or metal-ceramics.

Treatment at home

The only thing you can do on your own is, after consulting a doctor, to maintain the enamel in in good condition. To do this, you need to use special toothpastes that contain a large amount of minerals. The doctor may also prescribe gels and rinses that must be used regularly.

The disease cannot be cured. Therefore, parents should teach their child to regularly, constantly, throughout his life, monitor oral hygiene.

IMPORTANT: If the disease progresses, a visit to the dentist should be immediate.

Prevention

If the water in your region of residence contains a large amount of fluoride, it is necessary to install filters or buy water in stores.
If the disease occurs in young children, introduce fruits high in calcium and phosphorus into the diet. Children are also recommended to consume:
- vegetables;
- any meat products;
- instead of water, give your child more juice;
- consume butter.
It is recommended to take vitamins A, D, and C in courses.

At an advanced stage, dental fluorosis is an incurable disease. Therefore, the task of parents is not only to teach the child to take care of oral hygiene, but also for preventive purposes Visit a pediatric dentist at least 2 times a year.