One of the things that informed parents fear is tooth decay in children. Fortunately, as the world rapidly advances, there have been breakthroughs in the field of pediatric dentistry.
We all are aware that practicing good oral hygiene will help prevent tooth decay. In fact, we are familiar with those ads on television promoting tooth brushing and toothpaste to avoid tooth decay. There is a grain of truth in their claims but it is not the only component of good oral hygiene.
Sure, brushing your teeth twice a day will help lessen sugar in your mouth thereby preventing bacteria from forming plaque and cavities which will eventually lead to tooth decay. But one quick question is: did the prehistoric men ever brush their teeth with toothpaste? By the way, they have perfect teeth. Go figure it out.
As we all want our children to grow up without any dental problems, it is important for us to know what causes tooth decay and how to avoid it.
Here are some of the common causes of tooth decay in children:
- Diet- children just love sweets. Period. And sweet drinks and sweet food means sugar. And sugar means bacteria. And bacteria with sugar mean plaque. And tooth decay. To avoid this, try to lessen if not totally get rid of sugary drinks in your kid’s diet. We know that it is tough to do but there are products in the market nowadays that taste just as fine without the high-sugar content.
- Poor Oral Hygiene- it should be stressed that brushing one’s teeth twice a day is must to have good oral hygiene especially for kids. This is to get rid of the sugar that accumulates in the mouth. By consistently brushing their teeth, children whose diets include drinks with high sugar content will avoid tooth decay.
- Absence of Dentist- there is no harm in taking your children to the nearest pediatric dentist. In fact you can reap all the advantages it will give later in life. Just be sure to not wait for a toothache before visiting the dentist. It is suggested that children should visit the dentist twice a year or by the recommendation of the dentist.
The dental health of our children is a major component in their development as adults. A child who has to suffer the stigma of having bad teeth in his early years tend to be less engaging and has low self-esteem. Worse, those children who have tooth decay may develop eating disorders which they may carry throughout their lifetime.
Children with tooth decay often suffer from toothaches. But the suffering is not only true with the children. Parents suffer as well, as work schedules and routines are affected because they have to take care of the child with a toothache. And no parent would ever want to see their child crying.
Luckily, tooth decay is preventable. A regular visit of your children to their pediatric dentist will help them avoid tooth decay.
The first appearance of baby teeth gives excitement and memories to us who are parents. In fact it is one of the earliest events that a baby and its parents can share. Regrettably, some parent often neglect baby teeth wrongly thinking that since they are only temporary, care is not important.
The assertion is simply not true. In fact it can be even more dangerous since baby teeth are the foundation of our permanent teeth. Neglect of baby teeth will lead to problems later in life as we will be discussing in this article.
Before we dwell deeper on baby teeth, it is important to remind ourselves that we need to teach our children to practice good oral hygiene. This is not only beneficial to our children but to us as well.
The care of baby teeth is vital since the development of the permanent teeth is dependent on it. Studies have long shown that neglected baby teeth affect the growth and development of the permanent teeth. We do not want our children to suffer from eating disorders, loss of confidence and self-esteem, and toothaches.
The following are several ways to take care of baby teeth:
- Start Early- pediatric dentists recommend that six month after the appearance of the first tooth, a dental visit should be scheduled. This means that for most children, the first visit to the dentist will be when they are one year-old. During the first visit, the pediatric dentist will give the parents insights on how to practice good oral hygiene for their kids.
- Good Oral hygiene- good oral hygiene does not stop by brushing your teeth. It involves a couple of things that can be easily achieved. For one is diet. Avoid giving your child too much sugar-filled drinks. Sugar is the main cause of tooth decay. A good dental regimen involves brushing the teeth twice a day, avoiding sugary food and drinks, and a regular visit to the dentist.
- Pediatric Dentist- since pediatric dentistry means specialization, they trained for more than three years after dental school for their specialization and extra knowledge. Pediatric dentists can easily help you maintain an excellent dental health for your kids.
Baby teeth are very important for the well-being of our children. Aesthetically, it is nice to look at pearly white teeth. However, that is not only the purpose why we should take care of baby teeth.
Since baby teeth are the forerunners of the permanent teeth, their development needs to be taken care of. Dental studies have shown that the baby teeth sit in place of the permanent teeth before they erupt. So any aberration in development of baby teeth will lead to improper eruption and consequently development of the permanent teeth.
This will mean that during adolescence, your children may suffer dental problems. But it will not be only your children that will suffer but you as well. The time, effort and expenses that will be spent curing the dental problem can be avoided by the proper care of the baby teeth.
Every parent should see to it not to neglect baby teeth. Although it is only temporary, a lot hinges on it.
These days, you can easily bring your kid to the dentist. It is now easier than ever since dentists for children offices have mushroomed around the country. Today, a visit to the dentist means fun for kids.
Gone are the days when the dentist used to be the picture of pain. Parents in the past used to threaten their children with a dentist visit if they were uncooperative. But as time passed and scientific advancements were made, pediatric dentistry is now a special field which focuses on the dental problems of children.
Pediatric dentists specialize in the dental health of children. As such, they are capable of immediately establishing rapport with their patients. They maintain offices that are child friendly and comfortable for both parents and children
They also employ highly-trained staff who will see to it that your children will feel relaxed every time they visit the dentist. The bright colors and the pictures that are around the office help in making the child comfortable. Toys are also available for children to play with making them feel at home.
Here are several reasons why you can easily bring your kid to the dentist:
- Dentists are for Children- as explained above, pediatric dentists specialize in the dental health of kids. They make kids comfortable and relaxed during their visit. They make good oral hygiene fun for kids.
- Dentists are for Parents- a strong communication channel is needed by the dentist with the parents. Since it is the parents who will see to it that the instructions of the dentist will be followed, pediatric dentists endeavors to establish a healthy relationship with the parents of their patients.
- Easy-to-Locate- dentists for children are easy to locate. They can be effortlessly searched online. For instance, if you are from New Jersey, a quick search with Google will result in a list of the best dentist for children in New Jersey.
- Excellent Service- since pediatric dentists underwent an additional three years of training after dental school, you can be assured that they will give your child the best service they are capable of. Also, pediatric dentists are armed with the latest advancement of science in the field of dental health.
Good oral hygiene must start at home and must be in partnership with a dentist. Regular consultation and check-up are needed by children one year-old and above to make certain that their dental health is in a perfect state.
Now that we know that it is easy to take your kid to the dentist, it is best to take them as early as possible. This is to prevent later complications and problems that may arise from bad teeth and poor dental care.
