Tips To Prevent Dental Cavities In Your Kids

As a parent, you can empower your child to have great oral health. By doing so, you can prevent dental caries, or what we call cavities. These are holes in the tooth enamel that happen due to plaque. 

Keeping cavities at bay is all about ensuring your child practices good oral hygiene habits. As a leading dental clinic in Gowrivakkam, we give you seven steps that will prevent cavities in your little one. 

Make Brushing And Flossing Daily A Fun Chore 

Children often baulk at brushing. The trick is to make the ritual fun, and then they'll want to brush and floss every day. Try playing their favourite song while they brush.

Another option is to find them a brushing buddy – a toy they enjoy holding. Alternatively, you could set a special timer, something just for them while they brush. Toothpaste that glitters or is flavoured is one more way to make the brushing routine enjoyable.

Showing your little ones that brushing is fun will get them excited about it. The next tip is to teach them how to brush and floss correctly and daily. If your toddler is just beginning to show teeth, remember to use a soft brush to clean his or her teeth. Teach flossing only after your child's teeth start touching each other. 

Besides teaching them the proper technique, you also have to utilise the right toothpaste. For all kids below 6, fluoride toothpaste should be used in precise amounts:

• For toddlers under age 3, it should be the size of a rice grain.

• For kids in the 4 to 6 years age group, it should be the size of a pea.

Fluoride toothpaste is important because it remineralises parts of the teeth. So, if they are susceptible to decay or weakness, they get better support. 

Limit Unnecessary Snacking And Increase Water Intake 

Food for bacteria is sugar. It creates the perfect environment for it to grow. So, the more your child snacks on sweets, processed foods, juices, candies, etc., the more will be bacteria build up. And that leads to erosion of enamel, which results in cavities.

So, the next step is to limit starchy and sugar-filled snacks from your child's diet. Fruits, vegetables and whole grains are their teeth's best friends. It is critical to have no sugar consumption right before bed. The impact of it on your little one's oral hygiene is far worse than anything else.

The fifth step to prevent cavities in kids is to encourage drinking water. The habit is easy to form as it takes no effort. Inculcate the habit of drinking water throughout the day and every day.

It flushes the bacteria that accumulates in the mouth. That prevents acid from building up and harming the teeth. If you get fluoridated water, then practice drinking it as fluoride is known to fight cavities. 

Also Read: Cosmetic Dentistry: Changing your teeth and your smile for the better

Visiting A Dental Clinic Is a Must. 

Never take visits to the dentist lightly. Just like you make it a habit to brush two times a day with your child, make it routine to visit a paediatric dentist. Ideally, you should take your child once every six months to your nearest dental clinic in Medavakkam, Chennai, to prevent cavities.

Make sure that the clinic has a paediatric dentist. They are trained to work with children who fall in the age bracket of 8 months to 18 years. They specialise in the best approach required by young teeth. Plus, their clinic will have an age-appropriate atmosphere that will put your child at ease.

Lastly, ask the dentist about sealants. Dental sealants are preventive measures. The dentist might recommend them for children of a certain age who also have a susceptibility to cavities.

Made of a plastic-like material, it flows and bonds to the chewing surface of the molars. This seals the surface and makes it smooth instead of grooves and peaks. This makes sure that cleaning the molars is easier. Thus, preventing dental caries. 

To sum up:

Children are like clay. You can mould them in any shape. All it takes is a bit of effort on your part. Show them that you brush and floss daily, too, and they will automatically pick up the habit. That's the best step towards practising good oral hygiene.

As an experienced dental clinic in Gowrivakkam, we encourage you to ask questions. Speak to a paediatric dentist if you have questions on how to prevent cavities in kids. We'll be further able to help you put preventive measures in place. So, please do get in touch and take the first step to a beautiful, healthy smile on your kid's face!