9th September 2021
Back to School: 5 Tips for Looking After Children’s Oral Health
September is almost here and that means one thing: back to school! After six weeks off, both you and your children are likely looking forward to getting back into some kind of routine. If you’re spending the last few weeks preparing school uniforms, getting any last bits of homework finished and slowly, but surely, getting used to early mornings again, why not use this time to also take a closer look at your children’s oral health?
Now is the perfect time to arrange a dentist checkup for your child if they haven’t had one in a while and, depending on their age, now is the ideal time to start taking a closer look at your children’s oral health. Whether they are young children who are starting to lose their baby teeth, or teenagers looking to start their teeth straightening journey, at Dental Solutions, we’re here to help and can get you in for an appointment in no time. To start with, here are 5 tips for looking after your children’s oral health.
Help With Brushing
Looking after your children’s oral health should be a focus from when they are a baby and start to develop their first set of teeth. From the age of 1 or 2, you should start using a soft toothbrush and brushing with water to get them used to the feeling and sensation. As your children get older, they should continue brushing their teeth twice a day using toothpaste, both before bed so that they’re getting rid of plaque that has accumulated throughout the day and one other time, usually first thing in the morning.
Look Out For Cavities
Cavities are holes that form in your teeth and occur when germs and bacteria build up in certain areas around your mouth. Cavities are a popular occurrence in children as their teeth can be harder to brush, leading to problem areas developing. As part of your children’s oral health routine, you should encourage them to brush for two minutes, twice a day. To do this, you could play 2 minutes of their favourite song, or do it together for the same length of time.
Your child may be at risk of developing cavities if they:
- Have a diet that is high in sugar
- Have brown areas or white spots on their teeth
- Have ongoing special care needs
- Don’t visit the dentist often
If you suspect that your child is at risk of developing cavities or already has cavities, then please contact us as soon as possible so that we can arrange a check-up.
Avoid Excess Sugar
Children naturally have a sweet tooth, so discouraging them from consuming too much sugar is important not just for your children’s oral health, but their overall health too. Saliva takes around 30 minutes to neutralise acid caused by consuming sugar, which means that during this time, sugar is eating away at the enamel. If you allow your child to eat sugary snacks throughout the day, their mouth will regularly be acidic, which then increases the risk of cavities and tooth decay.
Look After Braces
If your teenager has braces fitted, then encouraging them to keep them clean is vital to both their oral health and brace treatment. With fixed metal braces, it’s important not to brush teeth too vigorously in order to avoid damaging the metal bracket. Using other dental products, such as floss and mouthwash, can help freshen breath, too. Eating with fixed braces can cause debris and bits of food to get trapped in the brackets and wiring, so using interdental brushes can get to hard to reach areas, keeping braces clean.
Make Dentist Visits Part Of Your Children’s Oral Health Routine
Regular dentist trips should form part of your children’s oral health routine from a very early age. Their first visit to see a dentist should ideally be around their first birthday, and then at least once every 12 months. Regular checkups are important to regularly check for decay, cavities and other dental problems, as well as teaching proper dental care.
By making regular visits to the dentist, we are then able to catch and treat any dental issues quickly and easily and this helps to alleviate the development of any fears or worries about going to the dentist. If you would like to arrange a dental check-up for your children or would like to discuss any dental concerns, contact our friendly team today!
