Ask any parent their main parenting concerns, and they are sure to mention their child’s health. Ensuring good health and growth is important for any child, and problems like tooth decay can be a hindrance. Tooth decay interferes with the dental development of your child. Tooth decay is a bacterial infection that destroys your child’s dental issue. If you leave it untreated, it could even lead to tooth loss. If this happens, your child’s normal development can be seriously affected, even though it is the “baby” teeth that are affected. This is why you must take the measures to prevent and treat tooth decay promptly. Here are three ways that you can reduce the likelihood of tooth decay in your child:
Start Dental Hygiene Early
Hygiene is your best defense against dental problems. If you don’t clean your child’s teeth properly and regularly, he or she may experience painful dental problems. These happen because of a thin film of bacteria called dental plaque and stuck food particles. You should ensure that your child has a regular habit of brushing and flossing their teeth. As soon as their teeth begin to grow, start with these hygiene habits. Encourage your child to do them independently as soon as he or she is old enough to understand. Note that oral hygiene is necessary even before your child’s teeth appear. To reduce the growth of bacteria, you can wipe your baby’s gums with a clean and damp cloth after nursing.
Make an Early Habit of Visiting the Dentist
Most children develop some teeth by the time they turn 1. This is the recommended time for making their first dental visit. A series of dental visits will enable your child dentist to identify any emerging dental problems. He can also assist you in your plaque removal efforts. When you start visiting the dentist early, your child becomes used to this process, and this helps curbs dental visit anxiety later on in life.
Prevent “Baby Bottle Decay”
The bacteria that cause decay thrives on sugar, one of its most favorite food sources. If you want to lower the risk of decay in your child, you should limit their carbohydrate intake. Not only should you limit candies and sugary snacks, but it is also important to remove sugar from your infant’s naptime or nighttime baby bottle. Several parents lay their babies down to sleep with a baby bottle filled with sugary liquids such as milk, juice or formula. Ensure that the bottle contains only water or avoid giving it to your child altogether.
All in all, the safety of your child’s teeth is your responsibility, so make sure that you make the right decisions in this regard. If you would like to know more about how to help your kids’ teeth to stay healthy and develop properly, please contact us. You can also schedule an appointment for a consultation. Read our other blogs for more useful and interesting topics related to dental health.
