Why do they put arsenic in baby teeth?
Arsenic is a chemical element that belongs to immunotoxic substances, that is, poisons. It disrupts the exchange of selenium, sulfur and phosphorus in tissues, which leads to a lack of oxygen, hypoxia and, as a result, cell death.
In dentistry, it is not pure arsenic that is used, but a paste with arsenous acid anhydride in combination with various anesthetic and antiseptic components. Below, by arsenic we will mean a paste, and not a pure chemical element.
The toxin was first used for dental treatment in 1836. Nowadays, treatment methods have changed significantly, but in some cases dentists still use acid.
In the article Stom-Firms.ru we will tell you why arsenic is placed in the tooth during treatment. We will describe how and for how long it is placed, and also list the complications that may arise.
Indications and contraindications for the use of arsenic
Arsenic acid is used for devitalization, that is, killing the dental pulp in order to then partially or completely remove it. Before the development of anesthesia, this was the only way in which it was possible to remove a tooth relatively painlessly, cure pulpitis and some other dental diseases.
Now the pulp is removed under local anesthesia and using drugs without arsenic. But there are indications according to which he is still placed. These include:
- Acute diffuse or chronic fibrous pulpitis;
- Chronic hypertrophic pulpitis in teeth with impassable and curved canals;
- Allergy to local anesthetics;
- Severe general condition, for example, after a heart attack or stroke;
- Inability to open the mouth wide due to contraction of the lower jaw.
Dentists emphasize that arsenic is not an alternative to pulp removal with anesthesia. The toxin is used as a last resort when the patient has indications for it.
Arsenic should not be placed in the dental cavity if:
- Allergies to paste components;
- Pregnancy and lactation;
- Increased eye pressure;
- Diseases of the urinary system;
- Unformed roots.
In pediatric dentistry, arsenic should not be administered to children under 1,5 years of age. But today, paste with arsenic acid is practically not used to treat pulpitis in a child. Pulp devitalization is carried out with other drugs.
How to put arsenic in a tooth
Depending on the age of the patient, the condition of the pulp and the size of the tooth, the doctor determines how much paste is needed. Typically, its amount varies from 0,0002 to 0,0004 mg.
Let us describe the stages of the procedure:
- The dentist uses an excavator to remove food debris, damaged tissue and thinned dentin from the carious cavity;
- A ball-shaped paste is placed on the pulp horn and covered with a bandage;
- Hermetically seals the cavity with a temporary filling.
Sometimes doctors put the paste on the unopened pulp. Then, after the procedure, the tooth may be very painful, especially when pressed, because swelling occurs and pressure in the tissues increases.
Usually, adults put arsenic in single-rooted teeth for 24 hours, in multi-rooted teeth for 2 days, but this period can increase to 6 days depending on the manufacturer and brand of the drug. Then the patient comes back for an appointment, and his pulpitis is treated in the traditional way: the temporary filling is removed, the cavity is prepared, the pulp is removed or amputated, the canals are processed and sealed.
Baby teeth require special attention and care. They have a special structure – thin enamel and porous dentin, so they are especially susceptible to the development of caries. And as a result – pulpitis.
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Why does pulpitis occur?
- Poor oral hygiene
- Advanced caries
- Poor quality dental filling
- Severe tooth injury
Specialists at Dentistry Center 32 fight for every baby tooth. Therefore, treatment of pulpitis is aimed at maximizing the preservation of its function. Tooth extraction in our clinic is a last resort. We resort to it only in rare cases.
We are for modern methods of treating pulpitis
A well-known way to get rid of pulpitis in baby teeth is arsenic. It is placed in the tooth cavity for several days to “kill” the nerve. At Dentistry Center 32, experts consider this method not only outdated, but also dangerous!
In our dentistry, pulpitis is treated without the use of arsenic and phenol-containing paste. This is poison! We use only safe calcium pastes.
Treatment of pulpitis begins with professional hygiene:
We remove soft plaque with special non-abrasive brushes and pastes, and remove dental plaque using an ultrasonic device. Removing germs is a surefire way to eliminate infection forever!
Root canal filling method using paste
This method of treatment is used when inflammation has existed for a long time, and its viability can no longer be maintained.
How is the treatment?
- The specialist carefully eliminates caries
- The contents of the canals are carefully removed and thoroughly treated with antiseptic and ultrasound.
- The canal space is filled with a paste that relieves inflammation and does not interfere with the root of the baby tooth to gradually dissolve when necessary.
- A control photograph is required to assess the quality of the filling.
- The baby tooth is filled. In this case, the inflammatory process is eliminated
We are against the method of holding a child in a dental chair! Only Dentistry Center 32 has a child psychologist who helps the child easily adapt to the dentist’s office. But that’s not all: saving a tooth takes place without tears or whims thanks to modern methods of pain relief. The Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation recommends treating pulpitis “in their sleep,” especially for young children under 3 years old, according to Order No. 3n dated December 2009, 946.
Vital amputation
When inflammation is recent, specialists at Dentistry Center 32 use the method of partial removal of the pulp with the application of a calcium-containing preparation.
Vital amputation in 4 steps:
- The pediatric dentist carefully removes all carious lesions
- Then removes part of the affected pulp
- Places medicinal paste
- And carefully fills the baby tooth
Thus, the child’s tooth remains alive, and the inflammation “goes away” along with the affected area of the pulp.
*The choice of method depends on the clinical case, the child’s contact level and his overall health condition.
Why are children’s crowns needed?
Often, after treatment of pulpitis, a small part of the baby tooth remains. To make the chewing process enjoyable and for permanent teeth to grow in their places, we install crowns on children’s teeth.
Dentistry Center 32 has created all the conditions for preserving baby teeth. Bring your child to our specialists!
