Straight Teeth in Less Time
What You Need To Know About Caring For Your Child's Teeth
Lois Murray
All parents know that caring for their teeth is important. There is a major emphasis put on adults brushing and flossing their teeth, but how much education is given to parents on how to care for their children's teeth? In some cases, there is not nearly enough. There are many things that parents can do to encourage healthy oral health now. These healthy habits will follow the children throughout their lives and make their teeth healthier. Here are some answers to commonly asked questions.
Why Is Caring For Children's Teeth So Important? Aren't They Going To Fall out Anyways?
Just because the child's baby teeth are not permanent doesn't mean that it is OK to let the health of their teeth go. The state of their teeth while they are children will directly affect their oral health as an adult.
Another serious problem that could arise is an infection. If a child's teeth are not well taken care of, it could cause there to be an infection, or abscess in the mouth. This could mean that a tooth has to be extracted, or even worse there could be serious health consequences. To protect your child and their long-term health, you should begin caring for their teeth now.
How Do I Care For My Child's Teeth?
There are a couple things that you can do to protect your child's teeth. First, you should start brushing their teeth as soon as they emerge. This means that as young as 6 months you should be brushing your child's teeth. Once the child gets their molars, it is important that you start to floss. Up until then there are enough gaps in their teeth that flossing is not as important. But once those teeth touch, they are at a high risk for cavities.
You should begin taking them to a dentist as soon as they have teeth. The dentist will let you know when it is time to get dental cleanings and X-rays taken. Staying up on top of your dental visits will prevent them from having serious dental work.
Lastly, get sealants put on the teeth. Your dentist, one like Mark Stapleton DMD MSD PC, will offer to put a sealant on your child's teeth once they have all of their baby teeth. This is one of the best ways to protect their teeth from decay and cavities.
By understanding how and why you should care for your child's teeth, you can be sure to protect them.
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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.