Help Prevent Dental Cavities with Tips from Your Pediatric Dentist: Part One

Posted May 31, 2016

What parent wants to see his or her child struggle with dental cavities? Sadly, cavities are incredibly common in school-aged children as well as adults. They can be uncomfortable, at first, especially when trying to enjoy meals and drinks, and eventually cavities can lead to troublesome pain, as well. Untreated cavities can even cause early tooth loss, which can lead to further problems. Fortunately, it is possible to prevent most cavities. Preventive checkups combined with great hygiene are wonderful ways to keep the teeth and gums healthy. Dental sealants can also help, though, especially for young children. So if you would like to keep your kids smiling, and prevent having to spend your time and money on treating their cavities, heed this advice from pediatric dentists!

Make Great Oral Care a Family Routine

If you want your kids to enjoy cavity-free smiles, you must first help them develop healthy habits to care for their smiles between dental checkups. Make sure your kids brush their teeth at least twice a day, and floss at least once everyday.

Allowing young children to choose their own toothbrushes and toothpastes is a great and simple way to make them feel more invested in their own oral health. With many kid-friendly, yet ADA-approved toothpastes on the market, it should be possible to find products your kids won’t complain about using. You can also play a song to help indicate how long your kids should be brushing their teeth. Two minutes is what most dentists recommend.

Keep in mind that children will need assistance brushing and flossing their teeth until they develop the dexterity to care for their own teeth. Usually kids are ready to begin brushing on their own when they are able to tie their shoes.