What do teeth and a watchmaker have in common? An interview
This text should be read by all parents! Vividly, clearly, and with great empathy on wise prevention in children and tasks for us, the parents. You will also read about what the titular watchmaker and our teeth have in common. We heartily recommend this interview with dentist Agnieszka Bogusławska-Miśkiewicz.
What do teeth and a watchmaker have in common, or a child at the dentist
What is the condition of young Polish children's teeth?
The dental health of children is truly very diverse. Usually, there is no middle ground, but rather a wide gap. Most often, either the toddler has healthy teeth, or the situation is already very serious. There are many young patients who require treatment for all or almost all of their teeth upon visiting the clinic, even though they are only 6-7 years old. Unfortunately, the myth still persists among parents that baby teeth will fall out anyway, that there is no need to brush them, and that "real" oral hygiene begins only when permanent teeth appear. Many parents also do not want to invest in treating baby teeth because, after all, they will... fall out.
We teach children independence, but they need help with brushing their teeth. Until what age should parents help their children brush their teeth?
I always say that if parents want peace of mind regarding their toddler's healthy teeth, they must absolutely touch up the brushing until the age of 6. Not brush for them, but touch up. The toddler needs to be taught motivation and purpose, as well as correct brushing techniques. No one is born with skills – we acquire them over time. Therefore, the toddler brushes their teeth first, and then we touch up. If mom and dad help, it is pleasant and encourages further efforts. The sense of bond and a job well done together grows. I always praise the progress of both children and parents. These are their shared family successes.
Daily teeth brushing is one thing, but the brushing technique itself is very important. Not all scrubbing is correct, is it?
Enamel is naturally shiny and smooth. Let me explain it this way: if I start scrubbing such a smooth surface with straight movements, using sand for example, I can damage it. But if I perform this action correctly, i.e., making semi-circles, it will become shiny and smooth. An image I saw at a watchmaker's always comes to my mind. A watch with small scratches on it is polished by the watchmaker with a special delicate paper, using precisely semi-circular movements. Then he rinses the matte dial, blows on it, and shines it with a special liquid. After such an operation, the watch dial is smooth and shiny like a mirror. These actions are very similar to our daily tooth brushing.
That is indeed a graphic comparison.
This image has stayed with me since childhood. As a little girl, I used to visit my aunt in Krakow, who was a watchmaker. In fact, the whole family had practiced this profession for generations. First, I watched my uncle working on clocks, and then his daughter. I was 12-13 years old at the time, and that image stuck with me. My aunt leaning over the mysterious, shiny watch dial. Many years later, already as a dentist, I visited my aunt to see it again. I think that telling a story through images strongly appeals to a child's imagination, but also to a parent's. It is easier to introduce something into daily life when we understand it, when we can compare it to something. Do not scrub, just make circles – like when polishing a watch dial. Let's look for ways to reach our children's imagination. That is the best way to learn.
Tasks for parents
Which means education, cooperation, but above all, tasks for us parents.
If children come to us with super healthy teeth, then the congratulations are due first and foremost to the parents. Until about 6-7 years of age, they are the ones responsible for their children's healthy teeth. This obviously does not mean that children do nothing during this time. They learn, but under parental supervision. I try, especially with 5-year-olds, to remind them that right behind the baby teeth, their sixes will grow, which will not fall out. However, it is the parent who must supervise, show the child, and teach them how to brush. It is interesting that from the beginning we teach children personal hygiene, but we forget about dental hygiene. Let's teach our children oral hygiene... like washing their hair. First, we wash it, then we show them, teach them, and finally, the children wash it themselves. Correctly.
Often it is we, the parents, who make mistakes, unwittingly building unpleasant associations with the dentist...
Unfortunately. I have heard many statements from parents that left me flabbergasted, for example, the seemingly joking "the dentist is a sadist". Once, during a hike in the mountains, I saw such a scene. A tired toddler refused to walk any further, and the mother, looking for motivation for him, said: "Either you walk, or we go to the dentist tomorrow!". You have to know that in a child, such sentences can unwittingly build unpleasant associations, which then result in anxiety in the practice. Let's not do that.
So how do you prepare your child well for a visit to the dentist?
You need to prepare them properly and approach the matter honestly. It is worth saying that it concerns our health, that we need to listen carefully, and trust the dentist a bit. Under no circumstances should you say that it won't hurt, but it is worth noting that sometimes it can be a little unpleasant. Our children trust their parents the most, and it is not good when in the office it turns out that what we said is not true. Let's also listen to the children themselves, because each of them is different.
We must understand the child's emotions, they have the right to be anxious, they also have the right to be afraid. We just cannot let this fear go too far. We must act in such a way that the child wants to listen to us slowly. Let's remember that bridges are not built in a second. This bridge is sometimes made of small footbridges built over several visits. And here again, as in that watch, at some point it all has to come together, to click. I often ask parents to discreetly ask the toddler after the visit; maybe not right after, because emotions are still running high, but after a few hours, if anything bothered the child. And if we can prevent it, do something better, we do it.
Let's also let the child get used to the dentist. Don't give up after the first visit. I always compare this to the first years of school. We get one teacher, precisely to get used to her. Over time, the child gains trust and feels comfortable seeing the same doctor they already know. After that, it gets easier.
Let's help parents. Let's create a list that will make it easier to teach children proper oral hygiene.
Sure. Let's remind them to brush their teeth in the morning, definitely after breakfast. It often turns out that children brush their teeth before the first meal. And yet, the point is to clean the teeth from, among other things, the food that remained after breakfast. Let's do the evening brushing together, first the child brushes, and the parent touches up. Let's also remember that after the evening brushing, the toddler should not eat or drink anything, unless it is water. Thorough and correct brushing of teeth twice a day is completely sufficient to eliminate tooth decay by 70 percent. Let's let the toddler choose their toothbrush and toothpaste. This decision will give them joy and a sense of having a choice. Let's show different solutions – tongue cleaners can be an excuse for super fun and laughter in the bathroom. And before visiting the dentist, let's remind them a day earlier, take a moment to talk, answer questions and doubts. And let's lead by example. When we floss our teeth, use mouthwash – the child sees good practices every day, and will unwittingly do the same. First out of curiosity. Then it will become a habit.
Finally, one more question. Can children chew gum?
Let's start with something else. We all know that fruits and vegetables support the healthy development of our children. It is also worth remembering that hard ones support the development of the chewing apparatus, which is constantly growing. But here's a curious fact – let's not teach children to eat apples, for example, just before brushing their teeth. Everything acidic causes the enamel structure to become matte. By spreading acid with a brush over the teeth, we can damage the enamel.
And chewing gum? That's the same question as about chocolate. We need to be careful. If a child feels like having gum, and chewing doesn't last longer than 10 minutes, let them. Once in a while it won't hurt anyone, especially if we have good daily eating habits. There is only one childhood, children remember a lot of it. If sweets are rationed, then the parent is happy, the child is happy, and the teeth are healthy. It really can be reconciled.
