The role of the pediatrician in the formation of the dentition and in the preservation of children's dental health

Abstract

Purpose - to analyze the role of the pediatrician in the formation of the dentition and the preservation of dental health in children, reviewing world research on this topic. The data of scientific literature on the awareness of pediatricians in the prevention of children's oral health diseases and timely referral to a pediatric dentist are analyzed. Untreated tooth decay is known to negatively affect a child's overall health and well-being, causing pain, impairing the ability to bite and chew, and thus affecting weight gain and growth, self-esteem, and communication skills. Chronic pain and discomfort caused by dental caries also negatively affects cognitive development and is associated with school absenteeism and lack of concentration. Since the youngest children visit pediatricians much more often than dentists, it is very important that pediatricians have the appropriate knowledge of the development and progression of caries, the principles of its prevention, and ways to maintain and improve the child's oral health. The cooperation of a pediatric dentist, parents and pediatrician is a three-way process for the sake of a child's oral health. Most studies have shown that pediatricians have insufficient knowledge of caries and its transmission, and that pediatricians have limited knowledge and understanding of the initial clinical signs of caries, the recommended age for the first visit to the dentist, the etiology of caries, and recommendations for the use of fluoride toothpastes. No conflict of interests was declared by the authors.