Children Dental Health

Good dental health for kids is a very important aspect of a child's overall well-being. If you are not careful with your kids dental health and do not arrest these problems in a nascent stage, it is very likely that as adults, your children will face multiple dental problems including rapid tooth decay and sensitive teeth.

As your child grows up, there are some elementary ways in which you can ensure your children's dental health. As an infant, you can clean his teeth with a very soft and clean cloth. As he is over 18 months of age, you should ensure that your child brushes his teeth at least twice a day with toothpaste that contains fluoride.

This will flush out all remaining bits of food from in between his teeth and reduce the chances of tooth decay and cavities. It is also important to choose a toothbrush with soft bristles because a toothbrush that is too hard can end up damaging the gums. For extra and better cleaning of the crevices in between the teeth, inculcate the habit of flossing early on for an effective child dental health regime.

There are also a number of dietary precautions that you can take to protect your children's dental health. While it is very important that a child gets his quota of all the essential food groups, ensure that your child does not consume too much sugar or carbohydrates because some of the bacteria in the mouth use this sugar to convert into acid which finally results in cavities. It is essential that you keep your children away from the kind of sugar-rich foods that stubbornly stick to the teeth because the longer the sugar remains on the teeth, the faster is the erosion of the enamel. These foods include hard candy, lollipops, and aerated drinks.

Try and keep healthy snacks at hand for your child to snack on. You should also ensure that your child has a ready supply of fruits and vegetables because these help in the increased production of saliva which in turn keeps the teeth clean. Fruits that contain a lot of water like pears or melons are the best for children. Drinking plenty of water is beneficial because it cleans out the mouth throughout the day. You should replace most instances of consumption of fruit juice or soda with the milk. Though milk contains a sugar called lactose, it is very helpful in building calcium. It is also recommended that you schedule a visit to the dentist every six months. By implementing these simple oral hygiene measures and diet restrictions, you can protect your children’s dental health.

Submitted on January 16, 2014