How to Help Your Child Avoid Cavities

Cavities can occur seemingly out of nowhere. While children’s teeth aren’t necessarily more susceptible to them on their own, their daily habits and practices can make them more likely to develop them at some point in their childhood. Because of this, children may need additional help in avoiding cavities and the potential harm they can cause to their teeth. This is especially important when it comes to helping them preserve their long-term smiles as well as their immediate oral health.

Understand why cavities happen

The reason why cavities occur is largely similar for most people, regardless of their age. A cavity is a depression in a tooth’s main structure and is caused by the erosion of the tooth in that area. This erosion, or decay, is the product of harmful oral bacteria having the chance to become overactive. As they erode the tooth enamel, they leave the main tooth exposed, and it isn’t long before it becomes infected. The most effective way to prevent this is to prevent the buildup of oral bacteria on your child’s teeth to the point that it can erode their tooth enamel. This takes consistently good dental hygiene every day, as well as a little extra effort throughout the day.

The day-to-day basics of prevention

In addition to cleaning their teeth every day, which limits the buildup of oral bacteria on their surfaces, children can also improve their chances of avoiding cavities by avoiding certain habits and activities that can make their teeth more vulnerable. For example, if your child chews on toys, pens, pencils, or other objects, this habit may lead to their teeth becoming weaker, worn down, damaged, or more vulnerable to tooth decay and cavities. Also, indulging in candy and other sugary substances too often throughout the day can cause oral bacteria to become even more active, increasing the risks of them infecting your child’s tooth.

A little help protecting their teeth from candy

Many children and parents still have hordes of candy left from the Halloween weekend, as they do every year, making it one of the more likely times that your child may develop a cavity. Eating sugar promotes the activity of oral bacteria that convert the sugar into acids, which then erode healthy tooth enamel and make your child’s tooth vulnerable to cavities. Your child’s dentist may be able to provide additional protection against oral bacteria by providing fluoride treatment or applying dental sealants to your child’s teeth, if necessary.

Learn how to help your child avoid cavities

Children have a good chance of avoiding cavities with help from their parents, and with consistent visits to their dentists’ office. To learn more, schedule an appointment by calling Pediatric Dental Care at Casa Linda in Dallas, TX today at 214-321-4880. We proudly serve patients who live around Casa Linda and all surrounding Dallas communities.

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