How to prevent your child’s Teeth from Decay

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A tooth in a man’s head is more precious than a diamond. People often wonder how a baby tooth plays an important role in one’s life. Though baby tooth sheds. People often fail to realize that they have to serve their purpose before shedding. If a baby tooth is lost too early, the neighboring teeth may move and not leave any space for the adult teeth to come out leading to overcrowding of teeth later. So it is very important to preserve a baby tooth until it sheds.

Tooth decay is one of the main causes of the early loss of a baby tooth. Tooth decay develops in a child when his/ her gums and teeth are frequently exposed to food or any sugared liquids for a long time. This often happens when a child is put to bed with a bottle of milk or juice. The natural sugar present in the drink is changed to acid by bacteria in the mouth. This acid dissolves the tooth causing tooth decay. So it is advisable to serve milk along with meals and not throughout the day or during nap time or bedtime.

Tooth decay also occurs due to sharing of spoons or cups. This causes the spread of bacteria through saliva. Frequent breastfeeding is also one of the causes of tooth decay. These can all be prevented by dental care and maintain good oral hygiene.

As it is difficult for parents to identify the start of decay in the Child’s teeth, it is very important to take the child to a dentist on regular visits. The child can be taken to a dentist six months after the eruption of the first tooth and every six months thereafter.

The dentist can prevent decay in your child’s teeth with preventive dental care. Preventive dental care includes fluoride and sealant application on the tooth, routine teeth cleaning, and promoting good dental and eating habits in a child.

Fluoride is a natural cavity fighter. It strengthens the teeth’ surface and reverses early signs of decay. A topical fluoride treatment is a must to prevent decay. Fluoride in gel or foam form is placed in trays and inserted into the child’s mouth and left for a few minutes.

Fluoride and sealant application in combination with good oral hygiene, healthy eating, and dental habits along with regular dental visits help to save your kid’s teeth from decay.

Fluoride can also be obtained naturally from fluoridated drinking water and toothpaste. But a topical fluoride treatment is more direct and effective.

Dental sealants are thin coatings painted on the chewing surfaces of the teeth to protect them from decay. This protective coating is hardened by a special light and is invisible. This sealant lasts for more than 5 years and the ideal time to undergo sealant application is soon after the eruption of permanent molars.

Fluorides and sealants play an important role in a child’s total preventive dental care. The application process is easy, completely painless, and eliminates the need for expensive and complicated procedures like fillings and crowns.

The earlier the child undergoes fluoride and sealant application the letter is the protection from tooth decay.