As parents, we aim to obtain the best for our children’s well-being, and dental health is no exception. Whether you are a new parent navigating how to take care of your newborn or a mom of a toddler, handling those tiny humans is tricky.
Despite being careful of their health, you might have experienced dental-related problems now and then. Yes, the fact is that oral health issues are common among children. They do not have to be egregious problems and it may be slight problems, but they still tend to exist.
According to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, approximately 42% of children aged between 2 to 11 years old have had dental caries in their primary teeth.
Thanks to the advancements in pediatric dentistry, dental problems among children are preventable. At the same time, professionals can work to minimize as much risk here as possible.
Tooth Decay Among Children
Due to the invasion of bacteria, the outer covering of the tooth gets destroyed. It leads to the formation of cavities resulting in tooth decay. Tooth decline can be due to bacteria, acid, food, and saliva forming plaque that sticks to the teeth.
Why Children Are At A Higher Risk of Tooth Decay
Unfortunately, according to the National Children Oral Health Foundation, most children don’t have appointments with pediatric dentists until they need them. With that said, children are at a high risk of tooth degradation. It is because they like sugary drinks and snacks. The sugar and snacks combine with bacteria growth in their mouth that results in tooth decline.
Symptoms to Watch Out For
Since every child is different, tooth decline is experienced a bit differently by everyone. However, here are a few common signs and symptoms that you need to watch out for.
● Your child complains of pain around the tooth.
● They experience sensitivity to hot or cold drinks.
● You can see white spots forming on the teeth.
Treatment for Tooth Decay in Children
The treatment for tooth degradation depends on several factors. Factors like age, general health, and how extreme the condition is in the treatment accordingly. Primarily, the treatment is by removing the decayed part and placing it with a filling.
There are two types of fillings
● Direct Restoration: During immediate restoration, you need to visit your child’s dental pediatrician once. Within the prepared hole, the pediatric dentist places the filling. This filing is made up of fine glass, acrylic acids, resin, or silver.
● Indirect Restoration: During indirect restoration, you will have at least two visits with your dental pediatrics. The fillings include veneers, crowns, or bridges.
How to Prevent Tooth Decay in Kids
We understand as parents, protecting your children can be overwhelming sometimes. As children are natural wanderers, supervising them 24/7 can be difficult. However, maintaining a better oral hygiene routine is a collective effort between parents and kids.
Teaching them the importance of maintaining an oral hygiene routine at an early age is a step to preventing poor oral health.
Here are a few tips and tricks to avoid tooth degradation and pediatric dentistry can help with these matters.
#1. Teach Your Children The Importance of an Oral Hygiene Routine
Frequent appointments with a pediatric dentist will help your children develop a sense of the importance of oral hygiene. Regular consultations will help them understand how problematic oral health issues can get. With that said, you should monitor the brushing and flossing routine as soon as your child turns 7.
#2. Prevent Prolonged Usage of Sugars in Formula and Breast Milk
According to the University of Michigan Health and Medicine, putting an infant to sleep with a bottle of milk, juice, or any other drink can cause tooth decay. Make a habit of removing the bottle from the baby’s mouth before they fall asleep.
#3. Frequent Consultations with Pediatric Dentists
As soon as a child turns one or their first tooth grows, an appointment should be planned for a general oral health check-up. Moreover, stick to the number 1 rule, schedule a check-up with your child’s pediatric dentist every six months.
#4. Limit the Intake of Juices
Canned fruit juices are just water with a bit of fruit flavoring. Be careful not to make fruit juices a part of their diet. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, a child aged between 1-6 years old shouldn’t intake more than 120 ml to 180 ml of fruit juice a day.
To sum it up, good oral health translates to good overall health. If oral hygiene is compromised, it can lead to serious health issues and even death. Tooth decay can lead to severe anemia, emergency surgery, and life-threatening infections. Well, the good news is, most dental problems are curable and preventable.
Children don’t have the knowledge to take care of themselves properly. A solid oral hygiene regimen, a healthy diet, and many fluorides are a great start to maintaining an excellent healthy oral lifestyle.
Teeth play an essential role in your child’s oral health. No parent would want their kids to be in pain and miss school days. To give the best dental health to your children, Mint Condition Dental is your affordable local dentist.
Serving in Cheney, Liberty Lake, Pullman and Colfax, WA, Mint Condition Dental is dedicated to helping the finest quality of pediatric dental care possible. Mint Condition Dental focuses on the “show, tell and do” approach. In this method, each pediatric dentist shows the children what they aim to do, explains how it will work, and ensures they are comfortable around the dental equipment.
But apart from the skills in Pediatric dentistry, Mint Condition Dental offers a variety of services that includes cosmetic dentistry, sedation dentistry, and emergency dentistry. Whether it is a filling or a full-mouth restoration, Mint Condition Dental is your trusted family dentist.
