How To Keep Your Children's Teeth Healthy

As a parent, trying to keep your children’s teeth healthy may be a huge task. The dental care needs of a child a different from that of an adult, even though they may share many similarities. Parents mainly want to prevent cavities but many of them struggle with the best method to achieve this.
We spoke to Allen Dental about the best methods of dealing with your child’s oral health. This article will provide useful tips and information about how you can care for your children’s teeth.

Brushing and flossing your child’s teeth

It’s important to start this process early in your child’s development. There are harmful bacteria on your child’s gums. Therefore, you should run a clean damp washcloth over the gums before your baby starts teething.
As your child begins to develop teeth, you may start brushing them with an infant toothbrush and a very small amount of fluoride toothpaste. This should measure about a grain of rice in size, as it’s important not to use too much toothpaste at this stage. Your child could swallow and be poisoned.

When you realize that two of your child’s teeth begin to touch, this is when you can begin flossing, but be careful because the gums are tender. As your child grows, you should also begin teaching them how to spit out the toothpaste while brushing. Remember the children under the age of 8 years old should always be supervised while they brush their own teeth.

Taking your child to the dentist

According to the American Dental Association children should see their dentist, before their first birthday. this is a critical visit as it’s most likely set the stage for the dentist-patient relationship that your child will have in years to come. the dentist will explain at-home preventative measures, but you can use, to maintain your child’s oral health. The dentist will also perform a modified exam while your child sits on your lap.

It may be better to take your child to a pediatric dentist because they specialize in treating children and would be equipped to handle the specific problems that your child could face. They may also be able to refer you to specialists in various areas that your child may need such as orthodontists or oral surgeons.

Preventing Cavities

Whenever food and bacteria are left on the teeth and not brushed away with fluoride toothpaste, it can lead to cavities. Acid forms on the teeth until tiny holes called cavities are formed which cats larger and larger as time goes by.

To help your children prevents cavities there are a few things you should do:

• Use fluoride – When do you use fluoride regularly it softens the enamel of your teeth which makes has more difficult for the acid to penetrate. some areas require that the water contains fluoride, but not all of them do. You can always see your dentist about the best fluoride supplements that you can use. Regular use of fluoride toughens the enamel, making it harder for acid to penetrate. Many brands of toothpaste are made with fluoride, but toothpaste alone can’t fully protect a child’s teeth. Remember that too much fluoride can cause tooth discoloration so be careful.

• Avoid sugary foods – Sugary foods, drinks, and candy can decay the enamel and cause cavities. If your children consume these foods you should allow them to brush and floss thoroughly to remove all food. They should make this a part of your daily habit.

• Teach them good oral habits early – Instill the proper oral habits into your children. They should brush and floss regularly. Make it fun by including games and music.

To sum it up

As your child grows up, it is your responsibility to ensure that they have a good relationship with the dentists. You can do this by prepping them before dental visits and explaining to them what to expect when they get there. A good rule of thumb is to have them see the dentist at least once per year or according to the dentist’s recommendations.

In today’s society, keeping a child away from sugary foods may be a tall order, so it’s important to have them brush and floss after each meal to mitigate this.