Caring for your child’s teeth

Caring for your child’s teeth

Poor oral care may lead to disease, infection or other teeth problems. Healthy teeth are very important for a child’s overall health. Strong teeth not only help children to chew and eat properly, it also assists in talking. Good oral care can facilitate setting useful dental habits as a child grows. Will all things online nowadays, you can easily find a list of dentists near you. All you have to do is look for ‘Children’s Dentist Near me’ or in case there is the need for immediate dental care, simply type in ‘emergency dentist near me’ and within a second you’ll get a list of dentists in your area. Remember, consulting a dentist can help you care better for your child’s teeth.

Useful dental guidelines for children:

·       Help children in picking their own toothbrush

·       Help children in picking their own toothpaste; they can choose the flavour they like

·       Watch videos or read books that explains about dental hygiene

·       Make use of a timer to ensure children brush their teeth for two minutes. You can also play a familiar song to keep a track of time

·       Offer rewards to children for good oral care. Offer a healthy treat like slices of apple or oranges

·       You can also plan a fun activity after visiting the dentist

Tips to improve children’s oral health

Fluoride awareness: Fluoride is important for your child’s dental health. It can help reduce cavities in the primary teeth as well as in permanent or adult teeth. It even makes the teeth strong by hardening tooth enamel. Most children get fluoride from drinking water. But if the drinking water doesn’t contain fluoride, an oral fluoride supplement should be administered. It’s best to consult a dentist regarding the fluoride needs of children.

Excess of fluoride can be very dangerous and can harm children’s health. So ensure children don’t swallow fluoride toothpaste or mouthwashes.

Apt brushing: Dental hygiene should begin from infancy. You can initially start using a child-size toothbrush around the age of one or two when your baby starts getting teeth. The teeth need to be brushed with water twice a day. You can add a small dab of toothpaste that doesn’t contain fluoride. This toothpaste is safe for children to swallow. Once a child is old enough to spit out the toothpaste, you can switch to toothpaste with fluoride. Use only a small amount of toothpaste. Teach children to brush well and consult a dentist regarding the right practices of keeping the teeth and gums clean.

Beware of cavities: These are holes that are formed on the teeth. It occurs due to the build-up of germs in the mouth. Sugary drinks and food turns into acid which eats away the teeth. Cavities might be a common occurrence in kids as their teeth can be harder to brush. Children may be at risk for cavities if they don’t visit a dentist often, if they have special health needs or if they have brown areas or white spots on the teeth. The risk is also higher for those children born premature or with low birth weight.

Taking your child for regular dental visits can safeguard your child’s oral health and ensure your child has healthy teeth. But if you’re unsure about which dentist to consult, just type ‘children’s dentist near me’ or ‘Emergency Dentist Near me’ on your smartphone, check the ratings and reviews that surface and schedule an appointment – it’s that simple!