Tips for Preventing Tooth Decay in Kids

Taking right care of child’s teeth and teaching proper oral hygiene is essential to prevent tooth decay. Have a quick look at some helpful tips to prevent tooth decay in your kids.Tooth decay in kids is a very common problem that every parent faces with their kids. Tooth decay is also known as “early childhood caries” is a common infectious disease caused by bacteria which eats away the enamel or the outer protective layer of the tooth thereby causing the tooth to decay. If this tooth decay is not properly treated from the very childhood of the kids, it may become a very costly affair as the kid grows up and may result in dreadful infections later on in life. Here are some tips given which you can follow to prevent tooth decay in your kids. In this articleBrush RegularlyUse Cups Instead of BottlesDrinking Enough of WaterLimit Sugary Foods and DrinksVisit Dentist RegularlyProvide Nutritious Foods to Your KidOther Oral HygieneBrush RegularlyTeach your kids to brush their teeth 2 times a day on a regular basis. This habit is to be imbibed to kids from their very childhood days. Even before your kid’s first tooth comes in, make a habit to clean your little one’s gums with a soft gauge pad to remove the plaque. Use a soft tooth brush for your baby when his or her first teeth grow. It is advisable to use fluoride toothpaste for your little one that prevents the decaying of teeth.Use Cups Instead of BottlesTry to encourage kids to drink from cups instead of sipping from bottles that can cause damage to the teeth especially the teeth in the front jaw. Though bottles are convenient for kids and are less messy still efforts should be made by the parents to let kids drink from cups directly when they attain a certain age. Bottle fed babies are likely to face tooth decay if right care is not takenDrinking Enough of WaterKids belonging in the age group of 4 - 8 years need at least 1 litre of water on a daily basis; ensure that your kids drink this much of water every day. To prevent teeth problems and cavities the drinking water should contain fluoride. If you are drinking water that does not contain fluoride, make sure that your kid gets a fluoride supplement daily. Fluoride is not recommended for children below 6 years of age so you may consult your dentist for better advices and give fluorides as your doctor suggests. Too much of fluoride is also not safe as it may cause the teeth to stain.Limit Sugary Foods and DrinksA prolonged contact with sugary foods or beverages forms acids in the mouth that causes the teeth to decay. So limit this sugary foods and drinks and instead give your kid a slice of the fruit that would be more nutritious than the drinks, as the drinks contain more of the added sugars than the actual juice extracts. Serve juice only at meals and ask your kid to brush his or her teeth before going to bed. If your child sleeps with a bottle in mouth, this prolonged contact of can cause infections in teeth resulting in the decaying of the teeth forming cavities.Visit Dentist RegularlyTo protect your child from the tooth decaying complaints, take him or her to the dentist on a regular basis for doing oral exams and cleaning of the teeth. This helps keep tooth decay at bay and your child will not have to experience these cavity problems in his or her teeth.Provide Nutritious Foods to Your KidNutritious foods keep dental problems at bay by protecting the gums from germs and bacteria. Whole grains and calcium rich foods give strength to the bones and teeth and prevent tooth decay. But after you give calcium rich food like milk, cheese and yoghurt to your kid make sure that your kid brushes his or her teeth after having these foods to prevent cavities in teeth.Other Oral HygieneApart from the above things it is also essential to encourage kids to follow simple oral hygiene. You must make sure that they gargle with water after having meals or snacks. Gargling will help to prevent sticking of food particles in mouth for long time and thereby prevent tooth decay. Gargling frequently with water will also help to reduce bacteria in mouth and as such risk of dental problems is reduced.Follow these simple rules and help your kid smile with healthy teeth that look beautiful. It is the responsibility of the parents to take good care of the child’s teeth and take him or her to the dentist whenever needed.What are the causes of dental problems in kids? How to prevent dental problems in kids? Why are bottle fed babies more likely to have decayed teeth? Discuss here.