Oral Health for Children, Babies

How Do I Help My Kids Care for Their Teeth and Prevent Cavities?

Educating your child proper oral care at a youthful age is an investment in their health that will pay dividends that are lifelong. You can start by setting an example; taking good care of one's own teeth sends a message that oral health is something to be valued. And whatever makes taking care of teeth enjoyment, together with your child like brushing or letting them pick their own toothbrush, supports proper oral attention.

To help your kids greatly reduce their risk of getting cavities and protect their teeth and gums, teach them to follow these easy steps:

• Floss daily to remove plaque from between your teeth and under the gumline, before it can harden into tartar. Once tartar has formed, it can just be removed by a professional cleaning.
• Eat a well balanced diet that limits sugary or starchy foods, which produce plaque acids that cause tooth decay. When you do eat these foods, try to eat them as a bite instead of with your meal -the extra saliva generated during a meal helps rinse food from your mouth.
• Use dental products that have fluoride, including toothpaste.
• Be certain that your children's drinking water is fluoridated.
  Bottled will not contain fluoride or if your water supply; municipal, pediatrician or your dentist may prescribe daily fluoride supplements.
• Take your kid to the dentist for routine checkups.

What Cleaning Techniques Could I Show My Child?

You may want to supervise your kids until they get the hang of these easy measures:

• Take care your child will not swallow the toothpaste.
• Using a soft- brush the inside surface of each tooth where plaque may accumulate most. Brush gently back and forth.
• Clean the outer surfaces of each tooth. Angle the brush along the outer gumline.
• Brush the chewing surface.

When Should My Child Start Flossing?

You should floss on your children starting at age 4, because flossing removes plaque and food particles between teeth that brushing misses. By time your children reach age 8, most kids can begin flossing for themselves.

What are Dental Sealants and How Do I Know if My Child Needs Them?

A dental sealant creates a highly-powerful obstacle against rot. Sealants are thin plastic coatings applied to the chewing surfaces of a child's long-term back teeth, where most cavities form. Employing a sealant can be performed in one dental visit and isn't distressing. Your dentist can inform you whether your child might reap the benefits of a dental sealant.

Fluoride is among the top ways to help prevent against tooth decay. A naturally occurring mineral, fluoride unites with the tooth's enamel to fortify it. For proper tooth development, the correct quantity of fluoride is added in many municipal water supplies. To learn whether your water contains fluoride, and much, call the local water district. If your water supply will not contain any (or enough) fluoride, your child's pediatrician or dentist may suggest using a mouthrinse in addition or fluoride drops to a fluoride toothpaste.

How Significant is Diet to My Kid's Oral Health?

A balanced diet is necessary for your own child to develop strong, rot-resistant teeth. Besides the full range of minerals and vitamins, a kid's diet should include plenty of phosphorous, calcium, and appropriate amounts of fluoride.

Subsequently frequent snacking may be the largest enemy, if fluoride is the child's greatest protection against tooth decay. The sugars and starches found in many foods and snacks like cookies, sweets, dried fruit, soft drinks, pretzels and potato chips combine with plaque to create acids. These acids attack the tooth enamel and may lead to cavities.

Each "plaque assault" can continue up to 20 minutes after a meal or snack has been finished. So it is better to restrict snacking between meals.

With any harm to your own child's mouth, you should contact your dentist immediately. The dentist will want to examine the affected area and determine appropriate treatment.

You should visit the dentist immediately, if your kid is in pain from a broken, cracked or chipped tooth. You might need to give an over-the-counter pain reliever to your kid until his or her appointment. If possible, keep any part of the tooth that has broken off and take the dentist this.

Get the tooth to your dentist as soon as possible, if your tooth is completely knocked out of the mouth by an injury. Handle the tooth as little as possible -- clean the tooth or don't wipe. Keep the tooth in water or milk until you get to your dentist. It might not be impossible for the tooth to be put back into your child's mouth, a procedure called reimplantation.