Children's Dental Tips

DENTAL CARE FOR CHILDREN: courtesy of www.safedentistry.co.uk

Good dental health is one of the most important yet often overlooked areas in a child’s healthcare. If a child learns the importance of maintaining a daily dental regime early enough it can prevent serious dental problems occurring in later life. Dental care for children should start before teeth erupt, and it is vital that parents stay actively involved in all areas of the child’s dental care.

Early Dental Care for Children It is recommended that children visit the dentist as early as possible; this not only gives a head start in preventing tooth decay but also allows the child to become comfortable when visiting the dental surgery.

Many dentists will advise that a child be seen around the age of one year old, before or around the time that the primary teeth begin to erupt. The dentist will be able to check for any decay and inform the parents of the best possible care and nutrition to aid the development of the primary teeth. Primary teeth are the space- savers for the permanent teeth, and how they develop will have a bearing on the strength and alignment of the permanent teeth.

Tips for 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. If this is not possible then allowing your child to chew sugarless gum after lunch will promote saliva flow and help eliminate bacteria.

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. The usual dental appointment timescale is every six months, and in an ideal world if a child has adhered to a daily dental routine they would usually only need no more than a check-up. But six months is a long time in terms of tooth decay, and 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.

For more information for Toddler and Infants visit www.safedentistry.co.uk.