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The specialized referral unit for mother, child and adolescent (Uremia), from Sespa, encourages early monitoring and prevention of oral diseases in infants
As of May 2021, the Baby Dentistry Project has conducted 14 daily consultations with a pediatric dentist for infants regulated by the Unified Health System (SUS). Monitoring and guidance is aimed at this age group, even before the appearance of milk teeth, which is important for the growth of healthy teeth.
Letícia Monteiro, housewife, is the mother of Louise Maria Monteiro, only 11 months old, referred with suspicion of language connection, the child receives monitoring in the project. “The service is very good, she has been evaluated and I was advised to brush her teeth when she started coming out,” said the mother.
“Today the pediatric dentist advised me on the type of brush and toothpaste to use because she is still a baby. From today on I will start this new routine”, says Letícia Monteiro.
Care is provided by two pediatric dentists, members of multidisciplinary teams that monitor Uremia children. Ana Patrícia Pereira Damasceno, pediatric dentist, explains the importance of prevention before the child’s first teeth emerge
“We clearly see that this has a huge benefit, because the child can reach the age of three with full baby teeth and zero cavities. The work is carried out in a multidisciplinary manner, in contact with a nutritionist, speech therapist and pediatrician. We have reports from mothers who have already had other children and that the project still did not work and they had no idea about the knowledge and instructions regarding the care of the oral cavity, the use of the toothbrush, toothpaste, “says the pediatric dentist Ana . Patricia.
She explains, for example, that situations such as the link between overuse of medication and the impact on dental health have been demystified. The pediatric dentist explains, for example, that all children’s medicines contain sugar, so the teeth must be cleaned after administering the medicine.
Lúcia Helena Carneiro de Azevedo is also a pediatric dentist in the project and points out that since the focus is on babies, the care is different, they still cannot use the dental chair, she explains.
“We adapted the mattress and used the kneeling position that the mother can do at home. We also explain the importance of cleaning babies’ mouths, teething, breastfeeding, which strengthens the jaw and the relationship with sugar intake. For women in the public network, this monitoring is a difference, which is not accessed even by those who have a plan, as there is a wrong culture that dental monitoring is only done after the age of 4, when the child already has cavities. that could have been avoided”, emphasizes Lúcia Helena.
Sespa’s Oral Health Coordinator, Alessandra Amaral, explains that the project is part of the state government’s prevention strategy. “Health starts with the mouth and it’s essential that we also take care of our babies so they can chew, suck and make sure their teeth are in the right place,” she emphasizes.
“The project is integrated with preventive actions carried out throughout the state, showing that it is easier for you to give a toothpaste, a toothbrush, learn proper cleaning than to wait for the disease to appear in the mouth and treat it with a specialist to do it. the canal and the extraction itself – which will cripple the patient”, comments Alessandra Amaral.
