Calling all One-Year-Olds!
Pediatric Dental Tips
Good Dental Care for Children
Children are very susceptible to tooth decay due to the amount of sugary liquids and starchy foods that they consume. If your child misses out on even one daily brushing it will mean that plaque has a better chance of forming and tooth decay will soon follow. Oral diseases such as gingivitis, which is the early stages of the more serious periodontal disease, can take hold very quickly, but is a dental problem that is easily avoided.
Symptoms of Oral Infections in Children
If your child has one or more of these symptoms then there may be some form of infection present that will need to be treated by a dentist:
- Bleeding gums
- Continual bad breath, even after brushing
- Receding gums
Stress the Importance of Dental Care Setting the example and stressing the importance of good dental care is something that children will thank you for in later life. If you take only ten minutes per day on dental care when your child is young, this will be enough to set in place a good daily dental regime. Make the dental routine fun for young children by turning the task into a game and something to look forward to. Ten minutes of brushing and flossing twice a day is all that is required to maintain healthy, strong teeth, and prevent tooth decay.
Good Nutrition Another vitally important aspect of dental care for children is a good balanced diet. Too many sugary snacks and fizzy drinks are extremely harmful to teeth and are the major cause of tooth decay in children. Likewise how long these foods actually stay on the teeth is another important aspect. Plaque can attack the teeth for up to 20 minutes after eating, so even at lunchtime it is important to clean the teeth and gums.
The Importance of Dental Visits Make your child aware that the dentist is the person who will help look after their teeth and keep them in the best possible condition. It is the responsibility of both the child and the parent to make sure daily dental health is taken seriously as a preventative measure. Dentists would rather prevent problems than have to treat them, and ten minutes of brushing and flossing twice a day can save a great deal of time and dental treatment in the long run. Dental care for children should be given the same amount of respect and consideration as any other area of a child’s healthcare. Unhealthy teeth can have a serious detrimental effect on the confidence and well-being of a growing child, but it is a problem that can simply be avoided by adhering to a good, daily dental routine.