6 Quick Ways On How To Prevent Early Childhood Tooth Decay

It is important to keep a child's teeth healthy to promote your child's overall health and well-being. Childhood caries or baby bottle tooth decay (BBTD) occurs because the teeth are in continuous contact with sugars from milk, fruit juice, formula and other drinks. Breast milk can also cause tooth decay. The liquids break down in the mouth and they form into simple sugars. When they are allowed to stay in the mouth, bacteria begins to feed on the sugars therefore causing tooth decay.

It is vital to stop tooth decay because it may be very uncomfortable for your child. Preventing tooth decay also paves the way for healthy teeth. There is a great chance that a kid's permanent teeth can grow crooked or crowded if baby teeth are damaged. To stop dental caries, here are some quick guidelines:

1. Offer bottle only during meals. Do not use the bottle as a pacifier or as a means to comfort the kid. Bottles and pacifiers should not be used on prolonged periods simply because it may only promote development of bacteria causing tooth decay.

2. Introduce the use of cups as soon as your child has reached 12 months old. If your baby can learn how to use the cup earlier, it can also lessen the odds that he can develop dental caries. Drinking from a cup will not permit the liquid to stay around the teeth thus it prevents dental caries. There are commercially available cups which are practical because they are spill proof or they have snap on lids that decrease the chance of spilling.

3. Start brushing your baby's teeth with an infant toothbrush once the first tooth has erupted. Doing so plays an essential part in stopping tooth decay. If your infant still doesn't have teeth, you can clean his mouth with a wet cloth or gauze. If done immediately after just about every feeding, this should help eliminate excess sugar and bacteria that have built up on the gums. If your child has reached two years old, brush his teeth once or 2 times a day. As soon as he learns how to spit, begin using fluoride toothpaste. Use only a little amount simply because there is a tendency that your child may unintentionally swallow it.

4. Do not add sugar to your child's food. Avoid as well dipping your child's pacifier in any sugary liquid, honey or sugar. Doing so could only promote development of bacteria.

5. Avoid putting your kid to bed with a bottle. As soon as your child has reached 7 or 8 months, he may no longer need feedings during the night. Nevertheless, some young children may still prefer to use the bottle at night because they have grown used to having it. Gradually adjust his feeding pattern in a way that, he will no longer need a night feeding.

6. It may also help if you start to bring your child to the dental office when he turns one year old, or if you observe that there is a need to do so. Discuss with your dental professional concerning your kid's fluoride needs. It is also vital to know if your drinking water is fluoridated. Normally, your dental professional may advise fluoride supplements and treatments.

These are only really quick ideas to stick to in stopping dentistry caries in earlier childhood. Mothers and fathers need to consider oral proper care critically to promote growth of healthy and balanced permanent tooth, and to decrease the chance of dentist difficulties later on on.