Kids And Cavities: Understanding The Causes Of Rotten Baby Teeth And Its Prevention

 

Combating  cavities in kids can sometimes feel like it isn’t worth the  stress and many effort that goes into persuading them to have their teeth clean regularly.

 

In a bid to get ready on time  to school in the morning or to sleep on time at night, forgetting to have their teeth brush is not uncommon.

 

Some mothers might even  question whether it is even important to even clean the baby teeth  regularly , since they are going to loose all their milk teeth by the time they are age six for with a more  bigger and better models of teeth.

 

It is interesting to know that kids teeth are highly vulnerable to cavities, at this early stage, which regular cleaning can help mitigate  more  difficult  issues than the occasional tooth brushing  disappointment . 

 

When Should Kids Start Brushing Their Teeth?

An ideal dental care begins before a baby’s first tooth appears.The fact that we are unable to see the teeth done not translate they aren’t  present .Its a know fact that the baby teeth actually begin to form in the second trimester of pregnancy.

By the Timothy baby is born., by the time the baby is borne or she already  has 20 primary teeth, some of which are fully formed in the jaw and not. Yet visible to the eyes.

 

Below are when  and how to care for  those baby milk teeth :

• Usage of  damp washcloth over the gums to clean off unhealthy bacteria before the baby start teething.

• Usage of infant toothbrush once the baby grows teeth,  with water and a very small fluoride toothpaste (about the size of a grain if millet or rice) In a situation where the baby toothpaste is  without fluoride, parents should maintain the same amount so as to reduce  any toothpaste that is swallowed to the minimum.

• When two of your baby’s teeth meet, you can commence flossing between them.

• By the time the child is around two years old, they should be encourage to learn to spit out foam while brushing. Do not give the child much water to spit out on her own so as to prevent them swallowing up swallowing toothpaste.

• Ensure you follow up and monitor  kids younger than 8 while brushing their teeth, as they’re more prone to swallow toothpaste.

There are cases where  babies have tooth decay and this is cause when a bottle is usually  used to feed the baby till he or she sleeps, action like this  can harm the baby’s teeth.

 When sugar that is present in  fruit juice, formula, or milk stays on a baby’s teeth for hours, it can eat away at the enamel.(that part  of the tooth that protects against tooth decay). 

This can lead to a condition known as “bottle mouth” or “baby bottle tooth decay.” When this occurs, the front teeth  get stained, potholed, and scarred.

Cavities might form and, in extreme cases, the decayed teeth might eventually need to be removed.

 

It is advisable to introduce a cup with a straw to the child once they are up to six month olds as to prevent the liquid moving around the child’s teeth.

By the time they are a year old, they would have developed the needed motor skills and adjustment to use the cup on their own. 

 

Signs of Early Childhood Tooth Decay

 

Early childhood cavities normally occur over a period of time  and can be hard to discover in the early stages. 

Tooth decay may show as any of the following : 

• There is a dull white line on the tooth surface closest to the gum line, this is usually the first and mostly remain unoticed  by parents.

• There is a yellow, brown or black line  on the tooth surface closest to the gum line – this shows advancement in decay.

• Then, lastly when we have teeth that look like brownish-black parts – this indicates that the child cavities has fully developed.

 

When Should Kids See a Dentist

It is recommended by most Dental Associations that children should see a dentist by their first birthday.

During such visit, the dentist will explain proper brushing and flossing methods and do a remodelled examination while the baby sits on the mother’s lap.

 

These kind of visits can help detect if there is any issue early and help kids get used to visiting the dentist so they’ll have less anxiety about dentist as they get older.

It’s most advisable to visit dentist who concentrate only  in treating kids. Paediatric dentists are trained to handle varieties of problems connected with kids’ dental health.

 

 They also know when to refer you to a different type of specialist, like an orthodontist to make adjustment to an oral surgeon for jaw realignment.

In a situation where the child seems to be at risk for cavities or any other dental issues, the dentist may start applying topical fluoride even before all teeth come in and this can be done in the paediatricians office.

Fluoride help in hardens the tooth enamel, helping to ward off the most common childhood dental cavities or infections.

 

How Can We Prevent Cavities?

Cavities happen when bacteria and food left on the teeth after eating are not brushed away. This leads to formation of acid  on a tooth, weakling its enamel until a hole or cavity  is formed.

Here’s how to keep cavities away :

• Encourage kids to cultivate good  oral habits early : Educate  kids to brush at least twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and to floss regularly.

• Ensure to always have  enough Fluoride:  Regular use of fluoride toothpaste makes the enamel strong, making it difficult for acid to go through into the teeth. 

• Avoidance or total limitation sugary foods : Sugary foods, juices, candy can weaken enamel and cause dental issues the teeth. On occasions where kids eat these foods, they should be encourage to rinse their mouth or brush their teeth after eating in order to remove the sugar that could be deposited in the teeth and the same action should be extended to any sweet syrup taken by the kids too.

 

What Is Orthodontics?

Orthodontics is a professional area of dentistry that deals with the detection,prevention and care of conditions affecting the arrangement of the teeth and jaw.

Orthodontists and some general dentists design and fit corrective devices like braces, clear aligners, headgear and  expander plates to help bring the teeth or jaw into normal arrangement.

As kids get older, their bite and the proper arrangement of their teeth can become an issue. Orthodontic treatment now begins earlier now than it used to, and the look and feel of braces have changed too, unlike the old  degrading ones that is normally  filled with metal wires and braces in the past.

 

Kids as young as seven years now wear corrective appliances, and can have clear plastic-based  materials have replaced old metal materials.

Orthodontists know that proper arrangement of teeth at a younger age can be simple and more functional in the long run.

Younger children’s teeth can be placed with relatively minor orthodontic devices, warding off major medical attention in future.

 

In conclusion, As kids grow, plan on routine dental checkups anywhere from once every 3 months to once a year, depending on your dentist’s recommendations.

Monitor sugary foods intake, motivate and ensure regular brushing and flossing, and following through with your dentist will give birth  good dental health.

 How do you prevent teeth cavities  the kids  in your household? Any great ideas that work? Please feel free to let us know  in the comment  section below.