Since 2019, the Health Insurance has launched a program which invites children from 3 years old to consult a dentist.
The opportunity to do prevention from an early age on food, brushing teeth, dental pathologies.
Because many parents are unaware that there can be cavities on baby teeth.
And that it is therefore necessary to check that the child, even before having his permanent teeth, is not drenched in sugar and that he learns to wash his teeth well.
Should we brush the teeth promised to the little mouse?
Contrary to what many parents imagine, you have to worry about dental health well before the age of 6.
“However, I often hear in my office that milk teeth are not important…”, regrets Anne-Laure Vialette, dental surgeon in Boulogne (Hauts-de-Seine).
Since 2007, the Health Insurance has been offering prevention appointments called “M'T dents” to young people aged 6 to 18, every three years.
But since 2019, letters have been sent to parents of children from 3 years old, in order to consult the dentist of their choice within the year.
What is this early meeting for?
“There is an immediate impact: we will considerably reduce the costs to follow.
You can imagine that with such an investment from Health Insurance, there is a gain behind, namely avoiding heavier and more expensive care, "insists Christophe Lequart, dental surgeon and spokesperson for the French Union. for Oral Health (UFSB).
This appointment, paid for by third-party payment, allows the practitioner to give advice to parents, to teach very young people how to brush their teeth... and to check that there is no stain on the teeth. teeth, gum problems or other.
If this is the case, Health Insurance covers a second consultation, provided that it is carried out within six months, with the exception of orthodontic care or prostheses.
“We will check that there is no pathology, underlines Anne-Laure Vialette.
We know brittle bone disease, it's the same for teeth.
They can get damaged, break... But we're also going to talk about food hygiene.
And remember that you have to avoid sugary drinks, snacks... and that even in crisps, there is sugar!
»
However, this operation has not yet found its public.
Indeed, "the appeal rate for 3-year-old children only reached 29.9% in 2021, even if it was even lower in 2020 at 21.48%", specifies the Health Insurance.
Why from 3 years old?
Hence the desire to further educate parents and children.
Why from 3 years old?
“The sooner the dentist sees the children, the sooner they get used to an environment that sometimes scares them: the chair, the light, the masked doctor, lists the dentist.
It is better to see them in a calm and peaceful moment than to pull a tooth.
Because they risk associating the dentist with tears, blood..." It is therefore never too early to acquire good reflexes... "The advantage is also that children are not yet in the phase of "no", adds Christophe Lequart.
We are campaigning for it to go to 2 years.
Because the problem is that with these "bottle caries", 3 years is already too late.
»
An expression that says a lot about baby teeth, which are too often neglected.
How does a cavity form?
The bacteria present in the mouth use sugars to synthesize acids, which will create micro-holes in the teeth.
And when children have a bottle of milk available at night or grenadine during the day, they are in constant contact with sugar, which will promote cavities.
“Saliva is able to neutralize the acids present in the mouth and will bring minerals to strengthen the enamel of the teeth, but this is done slowly, underlines Christophe Lequart.
If you multiply your food intake, you don't give the saliva time to do its cleaning job.
This is why brushing must be learned as soon as the teeth appear, even at six months.
"Cavities form on baby teeth as on permanent ones... and they are just as painful," he warns.
And to continue: “we see children arriving late in our offices whose front teeth are all decayed.
When they are too damaged, we have to extract them, and they will not have teeth until the arrival of the permanent ones, around 6 years old.
Which has an impact on speech, food, self-image.
"Fortunately, it's rare," reassures Anne-Laure Vialette.
In the worst case, if the cavity is not treated, it can lead to an abscess and affect the development of the permanent tooth, the germs of which are under the baby tooth.
How to teach your child to brush their teeth properly?
But it's not easy to brush the teeth of a 2-year-old child… “Before the age of 6, he is not able to do it on his own, warns Anne-Laure Vialette.
It's only when they tie their shoelaces on their own that they have the necessary dexterity.
Ideally, you should brush your teeth morning and evening, two minutes, and not forget any space.
To make this mission more fun, these dentists recommend setting a timer – an hourglass, for example – opting for an electric toothbrush or downloading an application that encourages good reflexes.
“We can ask them to do a course, with ten seconds on each tooth, up, left, down, right, suggests Christophe Lequart.
From 2 to 6 years old, we will put the equivalent of a pea of toothpaste, completes Christophe Lequart.
Fluoride is essential.
But we see,
with the fashion for homemade toothpaste and bought in organic stores, therefore without fluoride, a resurgence of cavities.
»
It doesn't matter, however, if the child swallows a little toothpaste… “The whole thing is not to press too hard and to have a suitable toothbrush, with soft bristles, adds his colleague.
If there's only one brushing to do, it's the evening one.
The ideal is to wait thirty minutes after dinner.
Because you have to give the mouth time to do its natural washing.
Otherwise, we're just going to spread the chocolate..."
high tech
Y-Brush: brushing your teeth in just 10 seconds, is it possible?
Podcast
Sexuality podcast: How do your teeth affect your sexuality?
Health
Dentiste
Child
Public health
Parents