subject: Caring For Our Children's Teeth [print this page] Good Oral Hygiene starts even before our children have their first tooth. To prevent the accumulation of bacteria its best to wipe our child's gums with soft damp towel or cloth, especially after feeding. When their fist teeth begin to appear, our children should start brushing their teeth twice a day with a soft toothbrush. Use fluoride toothpaste, since fluoride makes our teeth strong by hardening the tooth enamel. Many areas add fluoride to the tap water we and our children drink. However, if you live in a area where the tap water doesn't contain fluoride it is advisable to ask your child's doctor to prescribe fluoride tablets. Moreover, you don't need to cover the whole brush with toothpaste. With little children they tend to swallow most of the toothpaste. Instead, just a small amount is sufficient.
Children love to eat sweets, chocolates, and candy and drink sugar based liquids. However, the sugar our children consume can cause cavities in their teeth. Cavities, basically holes in our teeth, occur when bacteria in our mouth utilizes the sugar we eat to produce acid. The acid then eats away at our teeth, making holes. To avoid and prevent cavities, it is essential that our children brush their teeth at least twice a day. As your child gets older, he or she should floss at least once a day. In addition to staying away from sugary sweets and drinks, we should limit snacks between meals and eating prior to going to sleep. Instead of candies and sweets, its best to feed our children fresh fruits and vegetables. This helps decrease the chances of cavities. Moreover, parents must be aware that there are certain factors that could potentially increase our children's risk of cavities. These include the following: children born at a low birth weight or prematurely; having certain special health needs; or having white or brown spots on their teeth. It is essential to have your child visit their dentist to determine if any of these factors can increase the risk of cavities or potential complications in the future.
Also, to ensure goof oral hygiene in our children's teeth, they should be taken to see a dentist regularly. It is recommended that our child's first dental appointment should be no later than after the age of one. This will allow the dental to look for the development of early problems and become familiar with your child as well as their teeth. Additionally, regularly visiting the dentist will create good dental habits and allow your child to get comfortable with visiting dentists as well as other medical professionals.
by: Maria Gonzales
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