Ensuring your child’s oral health is just one item on an endless list of jobs you take on when you become a parent, but it is imperative. When it comes to safeguarding your child’s oral health, it is vital to learn how to prevent cavities in children.
Often, it can be challenging to get kids to brush their teeth properly. While establishing good oral hygiene habits with your child can be challenging, the benefits to your child’s dental and overall health make it well worth the effort.
7 Ways to Prevent Cavities in Children
If you want to help your little one avoid all the discomfort of tooth decay, look at the following seven tips.
1. Teach Them the Importance of Brushing and Flossing
Kids can be reluctant to brush their teeth because they don’t understand the importance of doing so. But when a child has a cavity, the extra care required may be even more overwhelming for them to think about.
That is why teaching them about the value of good oral hygiene before tooth decay has a chance to take hold is vital. Ensure your children know why they want to avoid cavities and how brushing their teeth and flossing properly can prevent such issues.
2. Help Them Develop a Routine
Everyone should brush and floss their teeth twice daily to prevent plaque buildup. Helping your kids establish a certain rhythm and routine with these daily tasks can ensure that it becomes second nature to them.
When they’re very young, you can lay the foundation of a routine by having them play a tooth-brushing game or a song showing them how long to brush for. A fun-looking toothbrush and toothpaste can make the experience enjoyable.
3. Take Them to the Dentist Regularly
Family dentistry is crucial not only for parents looking to prevent cavities in children but also for anyone who wants to ensure that their children’s teeth are developing correctly and don’t require dental or orthodontic intervention. Starting when their first tooth erupts, children should start seeing their dentist for preventive care.
4. Moderate Their Sugar Intake
You don’t necessarily have to remove sugar entirely from the equation. Still, if you want to prevent cavities in children, you should monitor and minimize the amount of sugar they’re eating, especially drinking. Some reasonable moderation paired with an excellent oral hygiene routine can make a huge difference in your child’s oral health.
5. Avoid Starchy Foods
Starch can also harm your child’s oral health if food particles aren’t brushed away promptly. Foods like pasta, white bread, potatoes, and rice can stick to the teeth easily creating the perfect environment for cavities. You don’t need to remove these foods from your child’s diet, but moderation is crucial, and brushing teeth right after can help mitigate decay.
6. Encourage a Healthy Diet
Getting your child to eat a healthy diet is always a great idea, and it helps their dental health too. Foods like leafy greens, vegetables, and healthy proteins are great for strengthening tooth enamel and neutralizing acids in the mouth.1 Drinking plenty of water can also help keep your child’s mouth free of cavity-causing bacteria.
7. Consider Dental Sealants
Dental sealants protect your child’s teeth, so you can rest assured they’re well-protected against tooth decay. Ask your dentist if dental sealants could be suitable for your child.
Family Dentistry from Empire Dental Care
If your child has a cavity or needs any other dental treatments in Webster or the Rochester area, you can trust the caring and skilled team at Empire Dental Care to provide your family with gentle, high-quality care. Contact us online today or call to learn more. Give us a call at 585-671-1650.
Sources:
[1] https://dentistry.uic.edu/news-stories/the-best-foods-for-a-healthy-smile-and-whole-body
