Healthy teeth can play a crucial role in your child’s overall health. Teeth are important for not only eating but also talking. Bright teeth can also improve your child’s self-esteem and confidence. Therefore good dental habits are essential, and maintaining healthy kid teeth is important in achieving healthy adult teeth. In this blog, we will discuss some of the tips for maintaining a child’s dental health.
When should kids start brushing their teeth?
Good dental care should start as early as your kid’s first teeth erupt.
- Use a clean, damp washcloth that should be placed over the gums to remove the bacteria even before the baby starts teething.
- Make use of an infant toothbrush when your kid gets teeth. Use water and dentist-recommended fluoride toothpaste. The toothpaste should be as tiny as a grain of rice.
- Flossing can be started when two of your baby’s teeth touch each other.
- It would be best if you taught your child how to spit after brushing by age two. Avoid giving water to swish and spit since it can make your child swallow the toothpaste.
- Pea-sized fluoride toothpaste can be used when your child turns 3 or older.
When should kids see a dentist?
Visiting pediatric dental care as soon as your child becomes a year old is desirable. The dentist will guide the parents on how to brush and floss their teeth properly. A dental evaluation will be performed when your kid sits on your lap. Ensure that you visit a dentist who specializes in catering to the dental requirements of a child. Kids Friendly dental specialists can address a wide range of dental problems in children. Early dental visits will also help children get used to such visits and avoid the fear of dentists as they grow older. The pediatric dentist may perform fluoride treatment even before the teeth come in if they feel the child is at risk of developing dental cavities.
How can we prevent cavities?
Cavities occur due to the accumulation of bacteria in the teeth, which is caused due to poor oral hygiene. Here are some of the ways we can prevent cavities.
- Brush two times a day using fluoride toothpaste and floss regularly.
- Regular fluoride can toughen the enamel, and the acids cannot penetrate. However, too much fluoride could result in tooth discoloration. Check with the best pediatric dentist near me about whether fluoride supplements are required for your child if your town does not provide fluoridated tap water or if your family uses purified water.
- Sugary foods, juices, and candies could erode enamel and cause cavities. Your child should rinse their mouth or brush their teeth to wade off the sugar so the cavities can be kept at bay.
What dental problems can happen?
A child is often prone to tooth decay because of poor oral hygiene, including improper brushing and flossing, which leaves leftover food to rot, leading to the growth of bacteria.
The dental problems that can happen to your child include:.
- Tooth decay
- Gum disease
- Toothache
- Malformation of baby teeth
- Fracture of the teeth
- Teeth getting knocked out while playing contact sports or due to a fall
How to keep kids’ teeth healthy?
- Kids tend to imitate their parents a lot. Hence be a good role model to them by demonstrating good oral health habits. Parents should prefer to brush and floss their teeth along with their children.
- Teach kids when they turn three years old how to brush and floss properly and how to spit instead of swallowing toothpaste after brushing their teeth. Teach kids about how to take rice-sized fluoride toothpaste.
- Visit the dentist with your child at least twice a year. It allows the pediatric dental group to evaluate your child’s teeth and recommend solutions if they diagnose any potential dental problems.
- Make your child aware of what to expect at the dentist. Similarly, discuss with the dentist thumb sucking, crowding of the teeth, losing teeth, mouth guards or whatever concern you have.
- The kids should brush their teeth for at least two minutes. Parents should ensure that they brush all sides of their teeth.
- Check with your dentist about whether dental sealants for your child are desirable or not. Sealants play a crucial role in preventing cavities.
- Track the progress of your child’s brushing and flossing routine and reward them, thereby encouraging them to maintain good oral hygiene.
- Avoid sharing utensils, pacifiers, bottles, and sippy cups which may lead to the transfer of bacteria from one mouth to another.
Your child’s dental health is important for keeping cavities and other dental diseases at bay. Furthermore, it also avoids the fear of visiting a pediatric orthodontist near me as they grow older. Ensure that the tips mentioned earlier are considered regularly so your child can experience healthy teeth and gums.
