About Us

Children

Introduction

Most children enjoy good oral health, largely as the result of oral hygiene practices, a balanced diet and exposure to appropriate levels of fluoride in various forms.

Particular disadvantaged groups of children, those with special needs and from low socio- economic groups, have been identified as being of relatively high risk for oral diseases.

Specific oral health risks for this age group arise from such causes as poor supervision of diet and oral hygiene practices and low exposure to fluoridated products.

The caries rate amongst children reinforces the need for appropriate access to high quality dental care for all children. IDA's initiative in this regard is Child Dental Centre (CDC).

Principles

Establishing and maintaining a good diet and oral hygiene practices during childhood are essential if individuals are to enjoy good oral health throughout life. Effective preventive procedures should be provided for all children to achieve and maintain good dental health.

All preventive maintenance programmes should be monitored and evaluated. Health promotion activities should be conducted to enable all children and parents to make

knowledgeable decisions about their own dental health.

Dental care should be available to all children, provided in both the private and public sectors depending on need. This care should provide both preventive and curative dental care.

Policy

All children should begin regular dental examinations by the age of one.

All children with developing malocclusions should be assessed by a dentist by seven years of age.

The aim of Governments in the provision of dental services to children should be to

improve and maintain their oral health through preventive interventions.

Eligibility for treatment in the School Dental Service should be restricted to disadvantaged children.

The dental care of children should be provided by dentists with support from dental assistants.

Adolescents and Young adults

Introduction

Most adolescents and young adults enjoy good oral health, largely as the result of exposure to fluoride in various forms. Some adolescents and young adults, particularly low socio-economic groups and rural Indians have been identified as being at relatively high risk for oral diseases.

Compared with other age groups, adolescents and young adults are less likely to go to a dentist. Adolescents and young adults are in transition to accepting responsibility for their own oral health. Specific oral health risks for this age group arise from lifestyle choices and general health factors.

Principles

Adolescents and young adults with healthy teeth should be able to chew food comfortably and socialise with confidence. Maintenance of good oral health for adolescents and young adults is essential as they are vulnerable to poor lifestyle choices. Education and support is required to assist adolescents and young adults develop good oral health behaviour.

Policy

National health programmes must be maintained or extended to protect at risk adolescents and young adults.

Oral health strategies should be developed to address the following lifestyle and general health issues:

• deleterious dietary behaviour, including grazing, snacking and frequent consumption of cariogenic foods and drinks with high sugar and acid content;
• excessive consumption of alcohol;
• use of tobacco;
• misuse of drugs;
• oral manifestations of diseases such as diabetes and eating disorders;
• side effects of medications, e.g. for asthma and mental illnesses; and
• those living in poverty, homelessness and rural Indians.

Adolescents and young adults who are impaired by developmental or acquired diseases or conditions, including injuries, may have special needs. Oral health education should be targeted at the parents for this group.

Adolescent and young adult oral health should be given priority for research funding.

• Dietary Recommendations for Infants, Children, and Adolescents
• Role of Pediatric Dentists as Both Primary and Specialty Care Providers
• Oral Health Care Programmess for Infants, Children, and Adolescents
• Second Opinions for Pediatric Oral Health Care
• Use of Fluoride
• Preventive Strategies
• Early Childhood Caries (ECC): Classifications, Consequences, and Early Childhood Caries (ECC): Unique Challenges and Treatment Options
• Management of Patients With Cleft Lip/ Palate and Other Craniofacial Anomalies
• Emergency Oral Care for Infants, Children, and Adolescents
• Hospitalization and Operating Room Accessfor Dental Care of Infants, Children, Adolescents,and Persons With Special Health Care Needs
• Interim Therapeutic Restorations (ITR)
• Use of Deep Sedation and General Anesthesia in the Pediatric Dental Office
• Model Dental Benefits for Infants, Children, Adolescents, and Individuals With Special Health Care Needs
• Intraoral and Perioral Piercing
• Use of Dental Bleaching for Child and Adolescent Patients
• Prevention of Sports-related Orofacial Injuries
• Use of Xylitol in Caries Prevention