(Newswire.net — October 2, 2020) — Around age five, as children begin shedding their baby teeth, parents often start getting serious about oral hygiene. That’s because many people believe that the health of those first deciduous teeth isn’t that important to long-term dental health. In reality, though, pediatric dental disease can have lasting consequences, and problems may emerge earlier than people think. If you have young children, it’s important to start taking these 4 steps today – it’s the best way to protect their dental health for years to come.
Start Early
Childhood dental health should begin before you little one even has teeth. Before your baby starts teething, begin developing a routine: wipe their gums regularly with a damp cloth to remove bacterial buildup. This will make it easier to transition to brushing those first teeth with an infant brush and a tiny amount of fluoride tooth paste, once the teeth break through.
No Bottles In Bed
Another important step that parents need to take with very young children in order to protect their teeth is to take away milk or juice bottles before bed. Many parents put their young children into bed with a bottle or sippy cup of milk to help them soothe themselves and encourage them to fall asleep independently. Unfortunately, the sugars in these drinks can foster bacterial growth overnight, leading to tooth damage. Putting a baby to bed with a bottle of milk is like letting an older child snack on too many sweets and then go to sleep without brushing their teeth – the sugar will lead to cavities.
Go To The Dentist
Just as parents tend to become more engaged with oral hygiene at home as their children get a little older, most schedule their child’s first dentist visit around the time they start school full time. Many schools even request dental records. In reality, though, children should start seeing a dentist by age one for the best health outcomes, as tooth decay can start very early. As many as 42% of children age two to eleven have tooth decay, and the younger the child, the harder serious dental problems can be to treat. Young children often need to be placed under general anesthesia, making simple care much more expensive.
Add In Fluoride
One of the biggest benefits to dental health in the last seventy years was the widespread introduction of fluoride to the national water supply. While there are still some communities that don’t fluoridate their water, widespread fluoridation is responsible for healthier teeth, increased tooth retention, and fewer cavities. As your children get older, they should continue to brush with toothpaste containing fluoride and, if your local water doesn’t contain fluoride, ask your dentist about fluoride supplementation.
Poor early dental care can have lifelong consequences, leading to damage to the adult teeth, infections and cavities resulting in jaw malformation, difficulty with speech, poor nutrition, and even worse academic outcomes, as dental issues are a leading cause of school absences. Though many would think it excessive to floss your toddler’s teeth – and what toddler will allow it? – it’s important to start building good habits early. It’s never too soon to pay attention to your child’s dental health, not even before they have teeth.