Straight Teeth in Less Time
Stop The Decay Before It Starts: 3 Tips For Preventing Childhood Cavities
Lois Murray
You don't have to wait until your toddler's first trip to the dentist to begin teaching the importance of good dental hygiene. And you certainly don't have to wait until all of their teeth come in to prevent cavities. Cavities and decay can be prevented before your toddler even has all of their baby teeth. Below is a list of simple techniques to avoid tooth decay and baby cavities.
Limit Sugar
That bacteria that lives in your mouth feeds off of sugar in order to stay alive. By limiting the amount of sugar that you toddler is exposed to, you will also limit the chances of your child getting cavities or tooth decay. Sugar also hinders the mouth's natural ability to create saliva. Saliva is the mouth's natural defense against decay. It also works as a mouth cleaner.
Instead of reaching for the fruit snacks, candy or crackers when your child wants something sweet to eat, give them fruit slices like pears or kiwis. Pears and kiwis don't just taste good, they are also good for the teeth by providing your mouth the essential vitamins it needs to stay strong and healthy.
Do Away With Nap Time Bottles
Even if you dilute your toddler's fruit juice with water, it is still full of sugar that can coat your child's teeth. Giving your child a bottle to go to sleep with will allow these sugars to stay on your child's teeth for up to twelve hours. Many toddlers face tooth decay because they are placed in their cribs with bottles of milk or sugar. When your child is sleeping, there is no way to brush the sugar away so their teeth become more susceptible to cavities.
Try weaning your child off of the bottle at fourteen months of age. This will limit the amount of exposure they have to sugary drinks. If your child insists on carrying a Sippy cup around, fill it with water.
Teach By Example
Its not secret that your toddler watches you and learns from what you do. Be sure to teach the importance of proper dental hygiene by brushing your teeth at least once a day in front of your child. While you are brushing and flossing, explain to your toddler what you are doing. Show them the proper way to floss. If you have poor dental hygiene, don't let your child stick their fingers in your mouth and don't share cups or silverware. The bacteria in your mouth can actually be transferred to your toddler's mouth.
Don't wait until your child has a full set of teeth to teach the importance of dental hygiene. By following the easy steps listed above, and the advice of your dentist, you can stop tooth decay and baby cavities before they have the chance to start.
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I had braces when I was a kid. Back then, you had to wear those metal wires and rubber bands for what seemed like forever. When I saw that my child’s teeth were going to be crooked like mine, I was dreading the years of braces and orthodontist appointments and limited diets that I saw stretching ahead of us. I was pleased to find out that braces today are very different from braces when I was a kid. They don’t need to be worn for nearly as long, and they aren’t as intrusive, either. My daughter got braces that can barely be seen, and she can remove them when she eats, so she doesn’t have to give up her favorite foods. I was so impressed that I started a blog to talk about modern day tooth straightening techniques. Braces have come a long way.