Building Bright Smiles: Dr. Prerna Yadav's Journey in Pediatric Dentistry (Part - 2)

Dr. Prerna Yadav: The root cause of the problem is that students are pursuing dentistry without understanding the future prospects of the field. This could be because they are not able to secure admission to a medical college for MBBS and end up choosing BDS as a fallback option. While there is a high demand for dentists in other countries, the situation is quite different in India where there is an oversaturation of dental clinics in metropolitan areas, but a severe lack of facilities and professionals in rural areas. The government needs to allocate more resources to improve the infrastructure of government hospitals and dental clinics, as well as create more opportunities for dentists. Currently, many dentists are driven by the desire to earn a high income rather than a genuine interest in the field, which can lead to a deterioration in the quality of dental care. Despite the challenges, dentists who are dedicated and patient can eventually find success in their career, especially if they are willing to work hard and persevere.

Dr. Prerna Yadav: I am very committed to participating in school dentistry programs. I believe that educating children about dental care can have a positive impact on their families and the community. By visiting schools and interacting with children, I aim to spread awareness about the importance of oral hygiene. I also encourage more people to get involved in similar volunteer work and hope that NGOs can play a role in mediating these efforts. I strongly believe that doctors and other professionals would be willing to participate in such initiatives aimed at helping underprivileged people.

Dr. Prerna Yadav: It's quite simple. There's no big secret to it, nor is there any magic involved. It's common knowledge that a toothbrush is meant for circular motions, yet 80% of Indians use horizontal strokes. We should use vertical or circular strokes. This simple change can make a big difference. Another important point is that this is an underrated aspect of dental care. Our ancestors used to clean their gums with their fingers after eating. So, using your fingers to massage your gums after meals is like brushing for your gums. After brushing your teeth, massage your gums with your fingers. You don't need to apply anything extra - there are products for that, but that's just marketing. Use coconut oil, ideally cold-pressed, as a medium for this gum massage. Also, pay attention to the spaces between your teeth. It's surprising, but 80-90% of cavities in these areas can be prevented by thoroughly massaging your gums after brushing your teeth. It's interesting to know these facts.

Dr. Prerna Yadav: I had an epiphany during my graduation days when I observed my lecturers, who were a married couple of dentists. They used to come to the dental college together in the morning and leave in the afternoon. Seeing them made me question why they didn't start their own clinic and why the patients didn't come to them for treatment. This experience led me to lose interest in pursuing an academic career and I became determined to establish my own dental clinic, providing comprehensive services under one roof.

Despite my aspirations, fate had other plans for me. I was approached by a senior doctor from Medanta who was opening a hospital and offered me the opportunity to join her and lead the dental department. I eagerly joined her and within two years, Medanta Hospital took over the hospital we were working at, making us a part of Medanta. Now, I manage my private practice and also work at Medanta in the mornings, while overseeing my own practice in the evenings. It's a fulfilling and busy life.

Dr. Prerna Yadav: One thing that has been consistent throughout my life is my love for interacting with small children. Even as a child, I preferred playing with younger kids over older ones. My mother used to wonder why I was so good with children. As I entered my college days, I found Pediatrics to be the most appealing subject. I was drawn to it because I would get to work with small kids and talk to them. Interacting with children always energized me in a unique way. Pediatrics encompasses various clinical aspects, such as treating dental issues like cavities, fillings, and even making dentures for children. It also involves orthodontic work like braces and mini implants. Additionally, Pediatric Dentistry includes procedures like bleaching and using habit-breaking appliances. Furthermore, Pediatrics delves into the psychological aspect of child care, particularly in managing children's behavior. Since childhood, I have always had a good understanding of child psychology and behavior management. Reflecting on these factors, I have come to realize that Pediatrics is the perfect fit for me.

Dr. Prerna Yadav: There are cases that come to impress me. When the doctor is happy, he brings something for the next visit. So, I remember my first patient who surprised me. I was treating adult patients. I had not kept Pediatrics that day. So, I was treating adult patients. Suddenly, around 8 pm, she knocked on my working chamber. I opened and she was standing with a card in her hand. She had written, you are the best doctor I have ever met. She hugged me and kissed me. So, that moment of love that I experienced with my patient was very touching. She tested my patience so much that she made 8 dental visits to sit on the chair. After that, she made unlimited visits to the treatment routes. I cannot even tell the number of visits she did. But she tested my patience. That is the reason I guess she also knew that I have tested the doctor a lot. Then, she brought this card. It was very touching.

Dr. Prerna Yadav: Our society has a journal called JISP (Journal of Indian Society of Periodontology). It is a quarterly journal. I read that journal very well. I read all the articles. My husband is in academics. So, he is into research always. I go to college with him whenever I find a topic interesting. Secondly, our IDA (Indian Dental Association) Gurgaon branch is very active. Every month, we have CDE (Continuing Dental Education) programs. We attend those programs. We have been given membership. I keep myself updated on all these things.

Dr. Prerna Yadav: The common misconceptions about dental care need to be clarified. Firstly, it is recommended to start brushing teeth at the age of 3-4 to avoid damage. It is a myth that we should not brush our teeth until all baby teeth are replaced. In reality, we should start brushing as soon as a single tooth emerges. Additionally, during pregnancy, hormonal changes can lead to increased gum issues, making dental care even more crucial. Regular cleaning sessions every 3 months are important for pregnant women to prevent the transfer of harmful bacteria to the child. Another misconception is that if one tooth is infected, all teeth are infected. In fact, infectious content spreads through saliva, and oral health maintenance, including regular checkups and scaling sessions, can balance the bacteria levels in the mouth.

Dr. Prerna Yadav: So, when the tooth is moving and the child eats food, the tooth is moving again. The child has pain in the gums due to the mobile tooth. That's why he starts getting irritated. Let the natural tooth shed off. When the tooth is moving, there are mobility grades. If the tooth is slightly moving, let it be. If the tooth is moving more, let it be. But when the tooth is completely moving, there is no use in keeping it. If you can get the tooth pulled out, then hold it with cotton and pull it out. If your permanent teeth have come, especially in the lower teeth, the permanent teeth come towards the back and the permanent teeth do not move. So, this is a very common presentation of parents. Keep the middle teeth in the front and the permanent teeth in the back. In that condition, we have to remove those teeth when the permanent teeth show their face.

Dr. Prerna Yadav: In colleges, I would say that there are a lot of problems related to gums. Gum issues or Pyorrhea, which we call in the normal language, but it is gingivitis and periodontitis which are very common in our rural sector. And in city practice, we have more cosmetic work. Root canal, cappings, veneers. A root canal is still a treatment part, but veneering in cosmetics, caps, braces, and implants creates more hype in these cities. But in the rural sector, the basics are still the same because they don't brush. The work is still going on without brushing. So that problem is very prevalent in the rural sector that gums health is very important.

Dr. Prerna Yadav: I would like to tell you the correct timing of brushing. If you brush at night, within 15 minutes of your dinner, then only drink water and not milk. After brushing, you can't drink anything. Drink water and go to sleep. Do not brush as soon as you wake up. Right? You have to brush after breakfast. So if you are brushing at night, after brushing, massage your muscles and wash your face with salt water. These are the three steps. After that, you are sleeping. Your mouth is completely clean. There is no food deposit. There will be no unnecessary bacterial load on your teeth. If you wake up in the morning, there is a 110% guarantee that if your stomach is fine, and you don't have constipation, then you will feel completely fresh. You won't have to brush or eat anything. That thing will stop if you clean your oral cavity by doing 3-4 steps at night. So, when you wake up in the morning, you have to take plain water. Drink 2-3 glasses of water and send the bacteria that travel in your gut back to your gut. It is said that saliva is very healthy in the morning. It is healthy because the bacteria travel in your gut. We don't have to waste the bacteria by brushing our teeth in the morning. We don't have to do that. We don't have to brush our teeth in the morning. First, drink water. Take breakfast. After that, brush your teeth so that your mouth remains clean from breakfast to lunch. Modify this a little bit. It will bring a lot of changes to your oral cavity. Brush at night and brush after breakfast.

Dr. Prerna Yadav: In general, I would like to share that people in cities these days are in a hurry to get braces for their children. Even for braces, there is an age and stage.

I feel, that permanent teeth come after that because our jaw grows. It is wide. The size of the teeth never increases.

The size of the teeth you got when you were 6 years old is the same. That's why in the beginning when permanent teeth come, their teeth look big. It looks like they have big teeth. But when the face grows, the jaw bone grows along with that the size of the teeth doesn't look good. So for braces, I would definitely say that there is no hurry. We are giving braces even at the age of 40. And the treatments are going on successfully. So don't get braces very soon. As a general awareness, I would like to say this.

There is no magic in dental health. Go for scaling once a year. Follow my tips on cleaning techniques.