Tips for the prevention of caries in our children
According to official figures from the World Health Organization, more than 530 million children in the world suffer from tooth decay. The adoption of healthy oral hygiene habits in childhood is indispensable for the prevention of more serious disorders in adulthood.
Experts recommend that parents take a small sample of drinking water from their home and send it for testing to verify that it has the natural concentration of fluoride needed for children. In case the result yields a deficient value, supply your children with fluoride supplements prescribed by the dentist. This substance significantly decreases the risk of the appearance of tooth decay.
The bacteria that produce tooth decay are transmitted very easily. Therefore, adult saliva is potentially dangerous for minors. Do not brush his teeth with your brush, never clean his pacifier by putting it in his mouth, and avoid sharing cutlery and glasses with him. All the elements that touch the mouth of your children should be for their personal and exclusive use.
Don’t let your child consume sweets ahead of time
Your children have no way to access foods that are harmful to their oral health if parents don’t give it to them or allow others to give it to them. Preferably, do not give candies or other types of sweets to your children because these products do not provide nutrients to the body.
Talk to family, friends, and teachers so they don’t provide you with foods that are harmful to your teeth. Sweets are addictive and have an appropriate age to begin their moderate consumption.
Take your children to the dentist periodically
Some people believe that it is not necessary to take children to the dentist until they change their teeth because all the problems they present will be automatically solved when the pieces fall out.
To go well you should go to the dentist every six months for the professional to check the mouth of your son or daughter, teach you a good brushing technique, check the position of your teeth, and check that you do not have cavities. In case of finding a cavity in a baby tooth, the specialist will have to seal it to prevent bacteria from affecting the nerve tissue.
Take care of your children’s oral hygiene from birth
Don’t expect your child to have teeth to worry about their oral health. Sanitize the child’s mouth from birth, in the appropriate way according to their age.
First stage
For the first 12 months of your children’s lives, you should take care of cleaning their mouths with a clean cloth after feeding them. You will have to slide the cloth gently through its gums to remove the remains of food. When you look at the first teeth, you will need to buy a special baby brush and brush the teeth only with water.
Second stage
From the first year, you will have to brush your teeth twice a day, after breakfast and dinner. You can incorporate a paste with fluoride into the wash. However, you should limit yourself to using the amount equivalent to one grain of rice.
Keep in mind that toothpaste should be removed from the mouth with plenty of water. Therefore, you should check that the child does not swallow it and teach him to spit out the residue. It is normal for your child to eat the pasta the first few times. For that reason, it is advisable to use a small amount of product.
Third stage
When the child turns 3 years old, the amount of pasta can be increased. Normally the size of a pea is taken as a reference to know how much product should be deposited on the toothbrush.
It is estimated that around the age of 6 children already know how to brush their teeth autonomously. However, it is recommended to monitor the washing sporadically to verify that the child is applying the correct technique.
Take care of your own oral health and that of your children at the same time
Children learn by imitation. Perform your brushing routine in front of your children so that they take it as an example and follow in their footsteps. Take it with you when you go to the dentist to naturalize the visits and lose the fear of dental instruments.
Avoid making negative comments about medical practices in front of him. Anything related to the rejection generated by going to the dentist or the pain caused by a particular treatment will make you hesitate. Keep in mind that your children listen to what you say, even if they are playing or it seems that they are not paying attention at that moment.
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