The hypomineralization of the enamel, in English Molar Incisor Hypomineralization (MIH), is a pathology of systemic origin, little known, but booming which affects children in particular.
The hypomineralization of the enamel occurs due to a qualitative defect of the enamel, a deficiency that if not diagnosed in time can lead to the fracture of the enamel. The disease affects children and involves both deciduous molars, permanent first molars and incisors.
How to understand if a child has enamel hypomineralization?
The first evidence of the hypomineralization of the enamel regards the color of the teeth. If the teeth are opaque, with a yellowish or brown color it is the symptom of a greater porosity of the enamel, moreover the darker the color, the lower the hardness of the enamel.
The wider the affected area, i.e. the teeth involved, the more acute the hypomineralization phase of the enamel. In a mild stage of the pathology the symptom is recognizable only in the change in the color of the enamel. With the aggravation of the hypomineralization of the enamel, other ailments may arise, including:
- hypersensitivity to thermal stimuli (hot / cold);
- pain when brushing teeth;
- erosion of the surface of the enamel;
- enamel injury and subsequent fracture
Failure to intervene promptly brings the enamel to what is defined: post-eruptive break-down that is, a fracture of the enamel that directly exposes the dentine to the danger of bacterial attacks (caries or other infections).
How to intervene in cases of hypomineralization of the enamel?
The hypomineralization of the enamel, being a systemic pathology, cannot be prevented, but an early diagnosis can affect the effectiveness of the therapy. The first intervention concerns the treatment of hypersensitivity of the teeth, for the advanced stage we proceed with the recovery of the compromised dental elements.
Some therapies also include a remineralization of the teeth with specific fluorine-based products.
Monitoring, with quarterly dental visits, is essential, because subjects affected by hypomineralization of the enamel are particularly exposed to caries or other infections of the oral cavity, in these conditions prevention is the only way to defend themselves.
What are the causes of enamel hypomineralization?
Scientific research has not yet identified with certainty the causes of Molar Incisor Hypomineralization. Among the hypotheses, the most confirmed, sees the hypomineralization of the enamel as a direct consequence of some diseases contracted in the first three years of life, that is, in the period in which children are in the phase of mineralization of the teeth.
Another hypothesis is that of a direct correlation between this pathology and the intake of particular drugs, specifically antibiotics.
We reiterate, however, the importance of relying on dentists specialized in pediatric dentistry for a correct diagnosis of enamel hypermineralization, because in some cases it could be confused with fluorosis or other pathologies related to tooth enamel (hypoplasia, for example).
The role and sensitivity of parents in the pathology detection phase is very important for children’s health. Correct information on increasingly widespread diseases, such as enamel hypomineralization, can avoid neglecting or not considering some symptoms that the child himself manifests.
Immediate intervention can prevent even the most serious damage to children in adulthood.
