Pediatric Dentistry Edmonton: How To Take Care Of Your Child’s Teeth

Worried about your child’s oral health? Well, you have a reason to be concerned about your child’s teeth. Children these days prefer foods that can ruin their dental health. But you don’t need to worry as the dentists specializing in pediatric dentistry say that a child’s oral health can be safeguarded if you take care of their oral health at an early stage. Below is a list of things that you should consider to take care of your child’s teeth.

Brush Their Teeth and Teach Them Too

Once your baby gets her first tooth, start brushing with an infant toothbrush and water. Change the brush every three months. You can start using pea-sized fluoride toothpaste while brushing after your child celebrates her third birthday. Start teaching your kid to brush on her own and even spit after this age. Ensure your child brushes twice daily to keep oral problems at bay.

Start Flossing

Once your kid’s teeth start touching each other, you can start flossing the interdental spaces. Flossing removes every bit of food debris from all the crevices in your young one’s mouth. It is better to floss before sleeping to curb the bacterial reactions in the mouth.

Give a Nutrient-rich Diet

It is necessary for your kid to consume nutrient-rich diet, not only for their holistic growth but also for a healthy mouth. Make your child consume more of calcium, fluoride, and vitamins by including sugar-free milk, cottage cheese, yogurt, walnuts, green leafy vegetables, nuts, cereals, eggs, and plenty of vegetables and fruits in the daily diet.

Monitor Eating Habits

Kids love snacking on sugary and acidic items and foods laden with carbohydrates. Too much consumption of these foods can cause dental problems. This is because such foods and beverages stick on the dental surfaces and get trapped in the interdental spaces. If not cleaned properly, they feed harmful bacteria. These bacteria are responsible for tooth enamel breakdown, plaque formation, decays and cavities, bad breath, etc.

Avoid Baby Bottle Decay

Tooth decays in kids are known as early childhood caries. They are also called baby bottle decay because it occurs due to continuous use of the bottle, especially while the baby is asleep. Therefore, don’t put your child to sleep with the bottle of milk, juice, or any other formula. The sugars in such drinks can stick to the teeth and cause bacteria formation.

Discontinue Pacifier

Sucking on a pacifier and thumb sucking may be soothing for most kids. But the habit should be discontinued to avoid long-term consequences. After the age of 2-3 years, you must ensure that your child discontinues using a pacifier and even thumb sucking. Prolonged use of the same can lead to teeth misalignment and malocclusions, which are then difficult to deal with.

Another way to take care of your child’s oral health is by taking her to a pediatric dentist. Your baby should be taken to a dentist by her first birthday. Regular dental checkups once in every three months can help you ensure that your child’s teeth and gums are healthy and free from any problems.