Your child’s dental health is very important as it sets the foundation for a lifelong healthy smile. However, children are prone to a serious dental threat—tooth decay. In fact, cavities are the most common chronic childhood conditions in the United States. It is estimated that 20% of children under the age of 11 and 13% of children under the age of 19 have untreated tooth decay. While cavities are common, they are easily preventable with the right care at home and from your pediatric dentist in Northampton. At Northampton Pediatric Dentistry, we have simple tips to help your child avoid cavities.
Brush Twice a Day
Children often view brushing their teeth as a chore. As a result, they rush through it and even skip brushing altogether. However, brushing is your child’s first line of defense against cavities. You can also make brushing more fun by letting your child choose their toothbrush. Your child needs to brush their teeth twice a day using a fluoride toothpaste that is supported by the American Dental Association. Choose a toothbrush that accommodates the size of their mouth to ensure they properly clean all surfaces of the teeth.
Floss Daily
Although children are not highly prone to gum disease, daily flossing removes food particles, plaque, and tartar that are trapped between the teeth, which can cause cavities. Your child needs to floss in between each tooth to remove these accumulations. Dental flossers are often easier for young children than traditional dental floss.
Eat a Well-Balanced Diet
To reduce the risk for cavities, limit your child’s consumption of sugary and acidic foods. Choose healthy alternatives like water, fruit, and low-fat dairy products. This will help to reduce cavities while promoting the healthy development of the teeth.
Drink Tap Water
Public water sources contain fluoride, which is known as “nature’s cavity fighter” because it helps to strengthen and repair the enamel. With healthy fluoride intake, you will not only prevent tooth decay for your child, but help to repair already weakened areas of enamel.
Visit the Dentist
Children over the age of two need to visit the dentist twice a year for preventive care. However, it is best your child starts to see us after their first tooth erupts. With preventive care, we will clean the teeth to reduce the risk for tooth decay. In addition, we will perform a comprehensive examination to look for areas of concern. With early cavity detection, we can quickly treat tooth decay to restore the tooth’s health while preventing additional damage.
We will likely recommend additional treatments to prevent cavities, such as a fluoride varnish. The varnish is applied to the teeth to strengthen the enamel. We often recommend dental sealants to cavity-prone areas, like the molars. This provides a protective barrier to help prevent cavity-causing food particles from becoming trapped in the teeth.
Protect Your Child’s Smile
The health of your child’s smile is vital to their ability to learn to eat and speak correctly. In addition, it sets the foundation for their dental health for the remainder of their life. Together, we can reduce the risk of cavities damaging their teeth. Contact Northampton Pediatric Dentistry today to schedule an appointment.
