Do your children also get cavities due to poor oral hygiene? Learn how to prevent cavities in children and maintain a healthy mouth.
Children’s oral health is also essential. Poor oral health in kids can cause tooth infections. Let’s explore the best ways to prevent cavities in children.
Keep Them Hydrated
Make sure your child drinks water all day long. Water helps wash away leftover food bits and prevent cavities in children. Avoid sugary drinks like soda and sports drinks, and avoid juices, too.
Juices have lots of sugar, and some, like orange juice, are acidic. Mixing sugar and acid is like a feast for the harmful bacteria in your child’s mouth.
Choose Snacks Wisely
Sugar has a bad reputation for causing cavities, but starchy snacks are just as harmful. Think about little crackers and pretzels. These starchy foods stay sticky on teeth for a long, giving bacteria a feast. Foods that stick to teeth hang around to feed bacteria, especially when your child can’t brush right away.
Instead, pick snacks that melt quickly, like yogurt, cheese, nuts, and apple slices. Healthy snacks don’t feed bacteria and prevent cavities in children.
Limit Snacking
Keep your child from snacks all day long. Each time they have a snack, it’s like giving the bacteria in their mouth a snack, too.
Choose wisely and have them drink lots of water afterward to prevent cavities in children.
Start Brushing Early
Early brushing prevents cavities in children. You can use a washcloth or a teething toothbrush for babies and infants because it’s easier for them to accept. At this age, you don’t need to use fluoride. It’s best to use toothpaste made for babies and young children without fluoride because they like the taste and might want to swallow it.
Kids aged 3 to 6 and those who can spit out toothpaste use a small amount of fluoride toothpaste, about the size of a pea.
Be Careful with Sharing
Sharing eating utensils with your child requires caution. The bacteria in your mouth differs from what’s in your child’s mouth. Dental cavities are like an infection, which means you can pass on cavity-causing bacteria from your mouth to your child’s if you eat from their spoon or use their pacifier.
Make sure you take good care of your teeth by brushing and flossing regularly to prevent cavities in children.
Teach Proper Floss Stick Use
Floss sticks can be easier for kids to use than regular dental floss. To use them correctly, kids should gently slide the floss string between their teeth and move it against the tooth surfaces. Flossing can help prevent cavities in children. Supervising them first is essential, and ensuring they use the floss gently to avoid irritating their gums.
Assist with Brushing
Kids need help with brushing. You have to hold the brush just right, use the correct amount of pressure, reach all teeth, and do it for two minutes.
Assisting in brushing can help prevent cavities in children. Most kids can only do this independently when they’re around 7 or 8.
Ask Your Dentist About Sealants
Molars, those back teeth, have deep grooves that are hard to clean properly. Your dentist can put sealants on your child’s molars to add an extra protective layer against cavities until their enamel fully develops.
Go to the Dentist Twice a Year
Take your child to the dentist twice yearly for a professional cleaning and check-up. These visits can eliminate tartar and prevent cavities in children. Dentists can give your child fluoride treatments to strengthen their teeth as they grow.
When your child’s teeth are strong, it’s harder for bacteria to get through the enamel. Your dentist can catch any tooth problems early. Early treatment prevents pain and stops you from needing expensive dental work later.
Conclusion
The blog guides you on how to prevent cavities in children. Carefully follow the instructions and maintain good oral hygiene in kids. Consult your dentist immediately if you notice any problems.
