Children are our primary concerns, so their well-being is usually important to us. Maintaining a healthy smile is an essential element to the future of their success. This article will provide the most effective ways to ensure our children have stunning smiles.
The Importance of Oral Health for Children
It is crucial to help your children develop healthy oral practices while they’re young to stop dental decay and the spread of harmful bacteria. Dental problems can extend beyond the pain and infection, possibly affecting the development of speech, esthetics and self-esteem. Children with poor oral health have a negative image of themselves which can cause depression.
A lack of dental care has been linked to low academic performance and could be a significant factor in your kid’s growth. In a study conducted to evaluate the consequences of inadequate child dental health and hygiene, it was observed that children who have poor dental well-being are more likely to be absent from school and get lower scores. Dental issues and pain can distract students from their studies and hinder their ability to concentrate, adding to their low school performance.
The quality of your child’s oral health affects their growth development. Dental hygiene issues can lead your child to struggle with eating healthy meals that could cause problems due to poor nutritional intake, difficulty speaking and difficulties with their jaw or development of their bones.
Understanding how to take good proper care of your child’s teeth is crucial to assist them in succeeding in the classroom and beyond. Look over a few strategies we have to assist your child in excelling.
- Clean Teeth as Soon as They Come In
If your child is about six months old, the lower two front teeth will be the first to pop out. Clean these teeth gently with gauze, a gentle cloth or even your clean fingers. After 12 months, it’s possible to begin brushing your teeth using a gentle baby toothbrush, and then at 18 months old, we can use a small amount of fluoride toothpaste for children while you are brushing. It is suggested to start flossing at the point that two teeth start to meet. The primary teeth of children are 20 or deciduous teeth. The teeth begin to emerge between 6 and 14 months. When they reach the age of two, most children have a complete collection of twenty baby teeth.
- Brush our Children’s Teeth Twice Per Day
The first few years of your child’s life are the ideal opportunity to have fun with brushing and develop good habits. Be there for them, and make them stare in the mirror in the bathroom. Use gentle, positive language to convey what you’re doing. Avoid using dual negatives or harsh terms like “this won’t hurt you.” When a child hears “hurt”, they are strengthened by a traumatizing experience. Discuss how your teeth are becoming shining, white and bright due to the use of toothpaste that is ADA-approved for children. At the age of 1try to take the child off the bottle and put them in sippy cups, and at around the age of two, you would like your children to be capable of spitting. This is important to ensure that your child isn’t swallowing excessive amounts of toothpaste when brushing.
- The Bottle
When the baby’s teeth are coming in, it’s recommended not to put the child to bed using a juice or milk bottle. The presence of sugar could cause Nursing Bottle Syndrome, leading to the rapid decay of the baby’s teeth. Instead, add water to the bottle and introduce the baby to a sippy cup as soon as possible. You can also employ an orthodontic pacifier in order to calm the child before they sleep instead.
- Fluoride and Toothpaste
Although fluoride is vital for the health of children’s teeth, cleaning, brushing and wiping remain the primary priorities. Start brushing your child’s teeth when they erupt, which should occur at about six months. As early as this age, wiping the teeth clean using soft gauze can be the same as brushing them using a tiny, soft toothbrush in children.
The exterior of our teeth is made of enamel, the most hard-wearing substance we have. Dental decay begins when the bacteria that live in our mouth reacts to the sugars found in our diets and create the acid, which is able to eat away at the enamel. Fluoride is a great preventative against decay because it bonds with enamel to make it stronger and stronger against acid. A small amount of toothpaste that is ADA-approved for children can be used as early as one year old. When they reach the age of two, most children are able to be able to spit, which is essential. At this stage, we increase amounts of toothpaste until that of pea size. we don’t wish for children to inhale the fluoride powder.
Children’s taste buds are 10,000 at this time, nearly more than adults. Therefore, they are able to taste fluoride higher than the rest of us. Fluoride in excess could cause fluorosis, which causes teeth to become discoloured or to form cracks within the enamel. Fluoride levels that are appropriate decrease the amount of dental decay. Between 6 and 12 months, we recommend that fluoride-based dental varnish be applied gently during your child’s first appointment with the Seattle Dentist. We think doing this twice to four times yearly will guarantee an uninjured mouth for your future children. Brushing twice daily for two minutes, keeping a tight rein on sugar intake, and using fluoride are the three elements that make up good oral health and well-being for the most valuable item — our teeth.
- Maintain a Diet That Is Low in Sugar
We’re working to prevent the development of dental decay in children. Without sugar, particularly an easy form known as sucrose, decay can’t be a possibility. Your child shouldn’t consume refined or processed sugars such as sweets (gummy bears) or ice cream, potato chips, packaged snacks and soft drinks, as well as soda and dried fruit, sports drinks and honey, as well as citrus drinks and juices and milk, raisins cake, sweet cereals, sugary ones, as well as some types of bread. Although this task might be difficult moderation is the key. The sugars in these food items break down through salivary enzymes to create sucrose. Bacteria that reside in harmony within our patients’ mouths (especially Streptococcus Mutans) will join with the sugar. This mush is known as dental plaque. This reaction by the microbes to the sugar creates an acid. This acid destroys the tooth’s surface (the enamel). This is known as dental decay. it eventually leads to cavities. Infections can be serious when the cavity is not addressed promptly, leading to extensive dental work like crowns and root canal therapy or extractions.
A sweetener, xylitol, also known as xylitol (sugar-based alcohol found in sugarless gum has been found to be a suitable substitute for sugar if used in moderate amounts. In addition, there is the sugar present in milk, called lactose. Nursing bottle caries can arise through prolonged exposure to the baby’s teeth by the bottle filled with juice from a fruit or a sweet liquid. We’ve even seen it using pacifiers dipped in sugar before a nap. We strongly suggest that if you’re using a bottle for a pacifier, you fill it up with water. If your infant is likely to bed with milk in the bottle, you should remove the bottle once the baby goes to sleep to stop the upper teeth from getting soaked by the lactose that is in the milk. The earlier your child is out of the bottle and drinking from a sippy cup, the more content we will be. Cleansing your mouth with a toothbrush, using wipes and flossing when teeth are in contact, fluoride and a decrease in sugar in your diet are the keys to keeping your child’s mouth healthy and happy.
- Healthy Foods for Healthy Teeth
Healthy eating is an essential way to keep your children’s oral health. A few options to consider are:
- The water (lots of water throughout the day)
- High Fiber Vegetables
- Nuts/seeds
- Fruits that contain Vitamin C (berries most effective are apples, oranges, and pears)
- Banana (contain Vitamin C, and B6 as well as potassium, fibre and magnesium, I love the fact that they have “a peel”)
- Sugarless gum with an ingredient called xylitol
- Dairy Products
- Protein (fish or chicken, lean meats)
- Sealants
According to statistics, sealants stop 80percent of cavities from appearing on the posterior molars for two years and stop 50 percent of cavities from developing for four years. Between the ages of 5-14, children are able to have sealants. They are plastic, thin and white covers, sprayed on fissures and permanent cracks on their teeth’ surface. They are able to harden within a matter of seconds after the curing light is put over them. This is an easy and affordable process that we believe is extremely beneficial.
- Regular Checkups
We would like to meet your child by the age of 1, about six months after the first baby teeth have developed. It is essential that your child is accustomed to going to the dentist in the most comfortable circumstances so that the child will be able to bond with the dentist and enjoy their appointments. It is recommended to schedule appointments when they are generally happy and alert. Talking with or reading to your kids can also help to make the first visit an enjoyable experience. Generally, we would like the children to visit at least twice a year. They will undergo a thorough examination of their mouths as well as gentle polishing and cleaning of their teeth. Then, as they grow older, we’ll apply fluoride. This helps ensure that any minor ailments is caught in the bud.
A good illustration of this can be Interceptive Orthodontics. The early intervention can improve future outcomes through the direction of the eruption of teeth and correcting malocclusion or bad bites. The procedure is usually carried out with a simple, removable or fixed appliance. All cavities will be identified and treated. The baby teeth with cavities should be addressed so permanent teeth beneath the jaw won’t be damaged. We will also reiterate the importance of preventative measures to prevent developing cavities. It is also the right moment to voice any concerns, such as excessive sucking of the thumb or teething issues.
Contact Smile Dental Clinic for Dental Care for Your Child Today
With a long-standing tradition of providing dental services for families, we recognize the importance of high-quality dental care. We are committed to meeting the requirements that our customers have. We are a multi-speciality dental office that can provide services to the entire family. Your children need quality treatment from friendly staff, and we’re ready to give them that experience.
