You Can Help Protect Your Kids Teeth from Dental Diseases

Children’s teeth are just as prone to dental diseases and decay as adult teeth, and it’s important to get them into a good oral hygiene routine as early as possible, combined with regular visits to your dentist.

By doing this, and by helping them clean and look after their teeth correctly, you will be setting them on the path to have a lifetime of healthy teeth and gums. The main reasons for dental diseases in kids are eating and drinking too many sugary foods, combined with a lack of a good daily oral hygiene routine.

Why do Sugary Foods Cause Dental Diseases?

The reason sugary foods are so good at causing dental diseases and decay is because they are the perfect food for bacteria. These bacteria, called plaque, are present in everyone’s mouths, even babies, and every time we eat something, the bacteria feed off the leftovers, creating a film over the teeth.

As they feed, they produce an acid which attacks the teeth, causing them to de-mineralize. De-mineralization of teeth affects the hard enamel layer of teeth, which leaves the softer inner layer of dentin more vulnerable to dental disease such as childhood caries.

If dental plaque isn’t removed by twice daily brushing, then it begins to harden into tarter after just forty eight hours. This is much more difficult to remove, as it can only be scraped off by your best dentist.

Good Dental Care Begins Before Their First Tooth Erupts

Good dental care begins even before the first tooth has erupted, as you should be gently cleaning your baby’s gums with a piece of damp muslin after each feed.

Your baby’s primary teeth, which are their baby teeth, will begin to erupt at around six months onwards. Once their first tooth has erupted, make an appointment for them to see your dentist. You may think this is a little early for them to start seeing a dentist, but it is the perfect moment.

Once that first tooth has erupted, make sure your baby does not go to bed with a bottle containing a sweet drink such as fruit juice, as this is one of the major causes of childhood caries and dental diseases. This is because, although it is comforting for the baby, it allows all that sweet, sugary liquid to pool around the teeth, and the plaque bacteria can get to work at their leisure.

In fact, this type of dental disease even has its own name, as it is called baby bottle tooth decay.

Your best dentist will be able to check to ensure everything is developing normally, and can give you great advice on the best way to clean your baby’s teeth. It’s important to clean right in between each tooth, as this will help avoid any dental diseases in the future.

They can also offer advice about the type and amount of toothpaste to use, as some best dentists do not recommend the use of fluoridated toothpastes for children under the age of two. In any case, you should only be using the tiniest smear of toothpaste, as a baby is too young to be able to spit out the excess.

Most important of all, it will begin to get your baby used to visiting your best dentist regularly, so that they see it as just a routine event, rather than something to be feared.

Preventing Dental Diseases during Childhood

Preventing dental diseases during childhood is largely about ensuring your child brushes their teeth correctly, and that they avoid eating and drinking too many sugary foods.

It’s important to supervise your children when they brush their teeth, as it is far too tempting for a child to skip this daily routine, or to brush incorrectly. They should be brushing their teeth twice a day for two minutes, and you may want to buy them a toothbrush which has a built in timer, or to use a separate timer. Kid’s toothbrushes and toothpaste can help make this routine dental care more fun.

It is easier said than done, but do try to limit sugary foods to a minimum, and to keep them for special occasions. Aim to get them brushing their teeth after they have eaten something sugary, so that any damage is kept to a minimum, and the risk of dental diseases is kept low. Six monthly check ups with the dentist are an excellent way of ensuring your kids teeth and gums stay healthy, as any potential problems will be picked up right away.

Why is it so Important to Protect Primary Teeth from Dental Diseases?

Children’s adult teeth begin erupting from around the age of six onwards, and most children will have their full set of adult teeth by about the age of thirteen, with the exception being the wisdom teeth, but these ages are only approximate, and some will get their adult teeth sooner or later.

The fact that they begin to get their adult teeth so early on is not an excuse to neglect their primary teeth, as these have a very important function to play in your child’s development. Baby teeth are important because they help maintain the correct spaces for the adult teeth to emerge into. This helps ensure that the adult teeth come through in the correct alignment, and that they bite together correctly.

Having healthy teeth free of dental diseases will enable your child to eat properly, so that they can get the nutrition they need for the development of a healthy body. Getting your child used to a good daily oral hygiene routine and regular dental care from your best dentist whilst they still have their baby teeth, means that hopefully they will look after their adult teeth, out of sheer force of habit.

Your kids will enter adulthood free of dental diseases due to the excellent dental care they receive from your best dentist. Of course there is another reason for looking after your kids primary teeth, and that’s so they look great for all those family photos.