Maintaining the children's oral health is one of the primary concerns of the parents. If you take proper care of the child's dental health regularly, you can avoid dental problems for the children. You have to manage the dentistry for children properly, and a good dentist can help you with that purpose.
When it comes to dental health, cavities are a major concern. Plaque, a sticky bacterial film that sticks to the surfaces of teeth, causes cavities to form on the enamel. The bacteria feed on the sugar & starch in the food we eat.
Plaque bacteria make acids that can destroy the tooth's outer protective layer. One cannot replace enamel once it gets damaged, so it is important to avoid cavities in the initial stages itself.
To treat kids' dental health, you can consult Pediatric dentists. They are specialists who take care of the oral health of the people. They can also provide Teeth Whitening Services.
What causes cavities?
Before we move to see how to prevent kids' cavities, it is also important to know what can cause cavities in the kids.
Many things can cause tooth decay, and bacteria play a major role. We all have some bacteria in our mouths. When you do not brush properly, plaque starts developing around the teeth. It produces acid and destroys the tooth enamel when one does not solve the problem.
Try to make frequent dental visits; it will help to catch the cavities at an early stage. You can also consult the best Invisalign dentist if you need teeth straightening services.
7 Major Tips to prevent kids' cavities
1. Drink water throughout the day.
When you keep drinking the water throughout the day, the water will wash away all the food particles. Apart from it, it will keep your mouth moist and balance your pH.
Try to intake fluoridated tap water; however, you can use it if you doubt the quality of the water. Whatever it is, you must make your children drink a lot of water; it will help avoid cavities in the kids.
2. Limit the use of sugary foods
Sugary foods like candy, cookies, sodas, juices, and other sports drinks can affect the child's dental health. The remains of sugars and starches left in the mouth can increase the acid-producing oral bacteria, resulting in cavities in the mouth.
Limiting the intake of certain snacks and drinks and having the kid rinse their mouth with water after eating sugary, starchy, or acidic foods can help reduce the risk of cavities.
Sugary foods are neither good for dental health nor the kids' overall health. So, it is good to avoid these foods for your children. Teach them the bad effects of sugary foods, and they will make a habit of conservative use of sugary foods in the early stage of their life. It will be very beneficial for them in the future as well.
3. Avoid the use of starchy snacks.
Starchy foods remain sticky and gummy on the teeth for hours. Any moist food, like fruit-shaped gummy candies and raisins, is the same. Foods that attach to teeth stay on the teeth for a long time, feeding germs. So, try to limit or avoid the use of starchy foods.
If you want to consume anything, try to use melty snacks or non-starchy foods. Items like yogurt will dissolve and melt easily with water and your saliva. Other good foods include cheese, nuts, slices, etc.
Also Read: 10 Teeth Whitening Mistakes To Avoid in 2022
4. Establish a healthy oral hygiene routine
A healthy oral hygiene practice can keep you away from cavities and many other dental problems. Dentists also suggest having healthy oral hygiene for your kids.
Maintaining regular daily practices like brushing and flossing is easy for adults, but it is difficult for you to make your children do all these things. You need to teach them all these practices. Also, children learn what they see, so make sure you perform your dental rituals on time regularly.
Parents may feel it difficult initially to develop all these habits in their child. Still, systematic efforts can succeed as they will learn all practices and do them regularly. You can also make brushing and flossing fun for them to enjoy doing.
5. Try to avoid sharing eating utensils with children.
Your oral bacteria differ from that of your child's mouth bacteria. Caries of the teeth are an infectious illness. In other words, if you take a bite from your child's spoon, you can spread cavity-causing germs from your mouth to theirs.
The same goes with a pacifier in your mouth to clean in after a drop; you have some of your oral bacteria behind it. So, try to reduce sharing of utensils with kids.
6. Teach your kids the right method to use a floss stick.
Your children must learn the correct way of using the floss stick. For proper use of the floss stick, the stick's string must be wiggled between two teeth by the children. It's ideal for gliding the floss across the teeth's surfaces softly.
7. Make regular dental visits.
Regular dental visits can save you from having serious dental problems in the future. Take your kid to a good Northern Beaches Dentist for regular check-ups. Dentists can use fluoride treatment to make your child's teeth stronger.
If your child's teeth are stronger, there are fewer chances of bacteria penetrating the enamel. And, remember that early catch-up of diseases can avoid the growth of the disease.
A regular visit to the dentist can save you from many diseases. Oral diseases as well as overall health issues. He can detect the problem early and give the proper treatment.
Conclusion
In conclusion, we would say that cavities can be a major concern if left untreated. Thus, you need to take care from the beginning and try to make regular dental visits. If your kid develops little cavities, the dentist will catch them early and start the treatment so that the problem does not worsen.