Your heart melts when your little angel smiles at you. Naturally, you want to keep your child happy. You are emotionally and mentally preoccupied with making your child feel loved and protecting them from one day to the next. But, on a more practical level, are you going out of your way to protect their pearly whites?
What is the cause of these unwanted cavities?
According to research, tooth decay affects 60-90% of school-aged children in most industrialized countries, even though it is largely preventable. If you’re looking for ways to keep your young child’s teeth healthy, here are cavity-prevention tips for early childhood.
Avoid Sugary Drinks
You occasionally (or often) drink sweet drinks. It’s fair that your child drinks sweet beverages. In trying to help your child, you’re hurting them. Misusing a baby bottle can cause cavities and other dental issues. Never put sugary drinks in your child’s bottle. Dilute sugary drinks with water to wean your child off them. Add water until they’re drinking only water. Food coloring or a swirly straw can make water enjoyable.
Lessen Bedtime Bottles
If your child is a baby, you might be tempted to leave a milk-filled bottle with them before bed. Whatever it takes to keep them happy and thus allow you to sleep longer. Yes, bedtime bottles may provide comfort to your child. However, they can be highly damaging to the teeth. When sugar from milk or formula remains in your child’s mouth, it can cause dental decay and, as a result, pain.
Brush and Floss
Brushing with your child when they are older can encourage them to do so. Leave cleaning brushes in the kitchen and instruct them to clean while you eat. Brushing your child’s teeth is an excellent way to establish a home oral health routine. You can also keep track of your child’s brushing habits. Children in non-fluoridated areas do not have access to fluoridated water. Instruct your children to spit out excess toothpaste but not rinse to compensate. It’s known as “spit-no-rinse.”
Choose a Child-Friendly Dentist
Get your child to a child-friendly dentist as soon as possible to prevent cavities. Before your child’s first birthday, choose from facilities like dentist in Kitchener, Waterloo. Then, visit the dentist every six months. Your child’s dental visits will prevent tooth decay. Your child’s dentist can treat decay right away. Tooth decay causes pain and spreads as an infectious disease.
Begin Oral Cleanings Immediately
Even if your child is only a toddler, they require the same dental care as older children. Clean their gums with a damp, clean cloth. This improves the prognosis for healthy teeth even before they erupt. It also acquaints your child with proper oral hygiene while still very young.
Encourage Healthy Eating
Getting your child to eat healthier foods can improve their oral health. Water-dense vegetables and fruits stimulate saliva production. It produces saliva, which hardens teeth. Calcium-rich foods, like dairy, help strengthen tooth enamel and prevent cavities. These foods neutralize tooth-eroding acids (more on that next).
Lessen Sweets Intake
Sweet foods like chocolate cookies get stuck in teeth grooves. These foods can feed tooth decay-causing bacteria if your child doesn’t brush properly. Bacteria turn starch and sugar into acids, causing cavities. These acids wear down tooth enamel, causing holes to form. Eliminating these foods and drinks from your child’s diet is unrealistic. Try to minimize their use. Have your child brush and floss after eating starchy foods.
Gargle Water
Rinsing your child’s mouth with water helps prevent cavities. After eating, your child can swish water to remove food debris, especially after starchy meals. Water rinses and cleans. First, it removes bacteria-feeding food, neutralizes acids, and helps repair weak enamel because it contains minerals needed for strong teeth. When your child has no mouthwash or toothbrush, use water. Fluoridated tap water protects against tooth decay and cavities.
Conclusion
Poor dental hygiene in your children can lead to issues such as cavities, tooth loss, and severe pain. Your child may also experience adult tooth space loss, speech problems, dental phobia, and low self-esteem. As a result, professionals are enthusiastic about examining and treating children of all ages. Cleanings, fillings, sealants, and extractions are among the services they provide for children.
