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ICR OR INDIVIDUAL CARIES RISK ASSESSMENT

By carrying out an assessment of your child's Individual Caries Risk, you will be able to act more effectively to limit cavities.

This ICR  assessment will allow your dentist to specify the oral health prevention measures that concern him, and to provide him with the necessary and appropriate care.

The ICR is classified into two categories: high or low.

 

GOOD TO KNOW

The ICR assessment will be defined after a specific questionnaire (age, family history, oral hygiene, diet, etc.), a clinical examination (presence of dental plaque, tooth morphology, etc.) and a radiological assessment (depending on the patient's age).

It is recommended to reassess it periodically (every 3 to 6 months) because it can vary over time.

 

Dents cariees 2

FLUORIDE VARNISH APPLICATION FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULTS AGED 3 TO 24

Fluoride, whether applied systemically or locally, plays an essential role in protecting children's teeth.

 

WHAT DOES FLUORIDE VARNISH APPLICATION INVOLVE?

Fluoride varnish is applied by your dentist.

The session is quick, simple, painless and the varnish does not have a bad taste. Once applied, the varnish sticks to the teeth and they may take on a yellowish or less shiny appearance.

These changes are normal and temporary. Avoid rinsing your mouth immediately after applying the varnish. Your teeth will return to their normal appearance the next day.

 

How many sessions should you plan for?

Applying fluoride varnish helps protect your teeth for several months. Protection is optimal if the varnish is applied every three to six months.

 

Fluoride assessment

To avoid any overdose, it is essential, before any prescription, to establish a fluoride assessment of the child.

This assessment aims to assess the daily quantity of fluoride absorbed by the child in their drinking water and diet.

 

WHAT IS FLUORIDE?

  • Fluoride is a trace element that binds to the enamel.

After tooth eruption, it can be applied directly to the teeth in the form of a fluoride varnish. It remains the most effective method for preventing the appearance of cavities.

  • It strengthens the enamel by promoting its remineralization as well as reducing dental plaque on the surface of the teeth.

"The assessment of the child's individual caries risk (ICR) is essential to determine appropriate preventive care."

 

PLEASE NOTE

The application of fluoride varnish is covered by Health Insurance. It is of interest to children with a high risk of caries. The application of fluoride varnish is now covered twice a year for children, adolescents and young adults aged 3 to 24 with a high individual caries risk (ICR).

CONSCIOUS SEDATION: USING MEOPA IN THE DENTAL PRACTICE

MEOPA is a gas mixture that, when inhaled by the patient, induces a state of deep relaxation.

MEOPA (Equimolar Mixture of Oxygen and Nitrous Oxide) is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas that acts by inhalation.

Used for several years in hospitals, its use has been extended to dental practices to facilitate dental care.

This gas is breathed through a suitable nasal mask, connected to a secure bottle. It does not put the patient to sleep but allows them to relax: this is what is called "conscious sedation".

"MEOPA is very useful, among other things, during dental care."

 

Indications for MEOPA

Its use is mainly intended for very stressed, anxious or phobic patients, young and old, or during major procedures performed under local anesthesia.

 

Practical aspects

Just before the start of dental care, a mask is placed over the patient's nose and mouth for a few moments.

The patient is asked to breathe calmly.

  • MEOPA has no particular side effects. It can only cause tingling and even make you want to laugh (MEOPA was formerly called "laughing gas").
  • When dental care begins, the mask is then placed only on the patient's nose, who continues to breathe calmly. It is therefore important not to have a cold.
  • The care will thus be carried out in good conditions.
  • The use of MEOPA is not a substitute for local anesthesia, which will be carried out in the usual way.

Once the session is over, the patient will remain seated, with the effects of MEOPA wearing off in just a few minutes. MEOPA is an interesting alternative to general anesthesia because its contraindications and side effects are much less significant.

 

TO KNOW

It is advisable to come accompanied and not to drive after the session. Pediatric Odontology

 

Please note:

The New Dental Convention of 2019 has promoted the management of conscious sedation techniques (MEOPA) used for patients with disabilities