Preventing Tooth Decay With Your Children

Tooth decay is becoming a very popular fear for most parents these days. Most parents overlook their child’s first little tooth that comes in as being a starting point for teeth cleaning. When this is overlooked, tooth decay can start early with your children, which can put their permanent teeth at risk, due to the infected gum area, when it is time for them to grow in. Taking the proper steps to ensure healthy teeth cleaning from the beginning should be a priority for all parents. As most dentists would say, preventing something is better than curing. So with that being said, here are a few steps parents can take starting with their child’s first tooth.

Five Simple Steps to Take Towards Preventing Tooth Decay:

1. The easiest step you can take is to limit the amount of sugars your children consume on a daily basis. By making sweets an occasional treat in your household, you will limit their intake and help preserve their teeth as they are in their growing stages.
2. By drinking more water on a daily basis, you saliva production will increase to help wash down sugars and food particles that got left behind, instead of letting them sit on your teeth. Incorporate drinking more water within your household. This keeps everyone healthy and on the same page with oral health. When this is done as a household, it becomes more of a habit and promotes healthy living styles.
3. Carry dental wipes on you to wipe down teeth while on the go. Start this at an early age and you can make it into a healthy habit. Not only will this help with potential staining due to substances consumed, it will also help to remove plaque from their enamels and prevent it from sitting there all day and causing decay.
4. Make brushing your teeth a fun habit and start young. Starting this at a young age and making it something fun will increase the chances that they grow into the habit of practicing good oral care. Buy children’s toothpaste and a fun toothbrush of their choice to create ownership and a better experience for them.
5. The last step you can take towards keeping your children’s teeth healthy and clean is to take them to you Alpharetta dentist on a regular basis, especially during their growing stages. This is really important to start young because they will be able to overcome the fear of dental offices at a young age. Your dentist will also be able to take a look at deeper issues-if any and provide you with preventative issues in advance as their teeth are in their growing stages.

Lessening the consumption of sugars, drinking more water, using dental wipes while on the go, practicing good brushing habits, and making your regular dental visits a priority are all positive steps to take towards preventing tooth decay. If you already notice tooth decay occurring, schedule a dental appointment to have their teeth checked immediately. Depending on the severity, a professional dental cleaning can help save their teeth at the beginning stages and practicing better oral hygiene will help to preserve them. As always, if you are having difficulty expressing the importance of oral health to your children, feel free to reach out to your professional Alpharetta dentist for tips and tricks. If you are new to the parenting world, remember one thing when it comes to teeth cleaning- starting early is better for prevention rather than waiting later and having to cure.

For additional questions on how you can help prevent tooth decay with your children, feel free to contact us or schedule a consultation today to meet with Dr. Woods at our Alpharetta SmileScapes location.