Cavities are the most common dental problem among children for a long time now. Children falling in the age group of 2 to 11, have 55% more chances of having a dental cavity than any other age group. About 40% of children under the age of 5 have dental carries and approximately, 8% of babies below 2 years are prone to some form of decay or dental restrictions. With such statistics standing in for a long time now, we have started to work towards a world in which all children have healthy teeth with no cavities at all.

How are cavities caused?

Cavities are caused by the bacteria that feed on the leftover food particles stuck in between the cresses of the teeth. The sugar with the bacteria releases acid that results in damaging the enamel. It is quite unfortunate that this cannot be reversed and needs attention immediately to prevent further damage.

How to fill the decays?

Different type of dental fillings are adopted to fill in the decays and this prevents other decays, on the same teeth. Often the cavities can occur in more number of teeth, causing immense pain and difficulty in chewing.

Why do parents need to take extra care for the dental health of their children?

Though the milky teeth will eventually fall out, it serves the primary structure of the child’s mouth and jaw assembly. Also, these children are at their most active part of their lives. They need to learn to speak and pronounce the words well. With dental issues, it is difficult to eat, chew, sleep, speak and learn well.It is observed that children are more prone to dental cavities mainly because of poor dental hygiene.

An oral routine is essential

We understand it is difficult to inculcate oral routines in children as early as 3 years or so. It is essential to brush your child’s teeth as soon as they start growing. The market has a lot of tiny little ones, with soft brushes. These are useful to painlessly clean your child’s teeth.It is recommended to use baby toothpaste available in baby care stores. They are specially formulated to suit the softness of the gums and tongue. Most products focus on mild organic ingredients. Also, they cause no harm if swallowed by the child.

Regular dental checkups

The Canadian Dental Association recommends a first dental checkup for babies by the age of one. This is to ensure they have no abnormalities in gum development. For children below 2 years, even before they have teeth, their gums need to be cleaned with a damp cloth dipped in a baby mouth cleaner. This is again important to maintain good oral hygiene right from the infancy stage. Any food particles stuck in the mouth or under the tongue regions can be easily cleansed preventing bad odor.

While your children are growing up as kids, ensure you initially brush their teeth after each meal. This is to ensure that the candies and chocolates that they consume often throughout the day, is cleared off the teeth as early as possible. Later you can take a suggestion from your family dentist as to when to start with fluoride toothpaste. Fluoride is the main ingredient in toothpaste and mouthwashes, that secures the tooth enamel and keeps your teeth stronger. Once the kids start with fluoride toothpaste it is easy to prevent and reverse oral cavities in the initial stages.

Later once your children are reliable to brush on their own, maintain a strict dental routine of brushing twice a day – once in the morning as soon as they wake up and the second time right before they slip into their bed to sleep. Each time they need to brush for at least 2 minutes. Also encourage flossing once a day.
One easy way of keeping them encouraged is to ask them to hum their favorite song as they brush and clean their teeth.
A healthy diet matters a lot when compared to hygiene. Always give your children fresh raw vegetables and get them used to vegetable salads as breakfast at least twice a week. Vegetables like carrots, lettuce, and fruits like apple, banana, and berries have a good impact in maintaining oral health.
Also, ensure that your children are least exposed to sugar or carbonated drinks each day. Insist on drinking loads of water along with frequent gargles. Visit your dentist often to keep cavities and other dental issues under check.