Dental cavities or dental caries is the most common oral disease during childhood. Cavities develop when the food left after eating is not brushed or washed away. These foods get transformed into simple sugars in our mouths and the bacteria in our mouths feed on this sugar, producing acid. This acid in time will eat away the outermost layer of our teeth, known as the tooth enamel. The erosion of tooth enamel ultimately leads to holes or cavities in the tooth.
Factors Causing Cavities in Children
There are several factors that cause cavities in children. Here is the list of some of the significant ones:
- Milk teeth are more susceptible to cavities: This is because milk teeth have comparatively thinner enamel.
- Dietary Habits: Sugary or processed foods such as sweets, chips or biscuits increase the risk of cavities.
- Improper brushing technique: Brushing the teeth both too hard as well as too soft can increase the risk of cavities.
- Inadequate Oral hygiene: Your kids need to brush their teeth twice a day and floss at least once a day.
Strengthening Your Child’s Tooth Enamel
We have already understood how cavities develop and what the most significant factors that lead to cavities in your child’s teeth are. Cavities can affect your child’s ability to eat, sleep and suffer. So it becomes important to protect their teeth from cavities. Here’s how to prevent cavities:
1. Limit the Consumption of Sugary Foods
We saw how the bacteria love sugar as much as your kids love sugary snacks. These bacteria will lead to the formation of plaque and ultimately cavities. This makes it important to limit the number of sugary foods and drinks that your child intake. You should also understand that sugary foods not only include sweets, cakes, chocolates and ice creams. White bread and rice, for instance, also convert to simple sugars that can lead to cavities. Similarly, avoiding high-in-sugar drinks such as sodas and fruit juices will also help. So, the next time you go grocery shopping, don’t forget to check the packaging for the nutrition content.
2. Maintain a Proper Oral Hygiene
One of the most effective ways to tackle the daily accumulation of plaque is to brush and floss regularly. Dentists recommend that all children (and adults) should brush twice a day. Brushing helps to remove the food debris that can damage the teeth. Flossing at least once a day helps remove the food debris that gets stuck between the teeth and gums. These are places where your toothbrush cannot reach.
Brushing and flossing and thus maintaining adequate oral hygiene is the key to keeping your child’s teeth cavity-free.
3. Rinse after Meals
Another good habit that you can add to your child’s daily oral hygiene routine is rinsing the mouth right after their meals. Swishing clean water in the mouth for about 30 seconds and then spitting it out is the ideal method. Following this routine after every meal will wash away the extra food stuck in your child’s mouth. This will help keep their mouth clean and reduce the risk of cavities.
4. Provide Calcium-rich Food
Teeth are partially made from calcium compounds. As a result, calcium-rich food helps strengthen the tooth enamel and fight off erosion and cavities. Moreover, most calcium-containing compounds are basic, these help neutralise the damaging acids. So including calcium-rich foods such as dairy items, canned fish, seeds, almonds, beans, tofu and dark leafy greens, in your child’s diet can be an effective way to prevent cavities.
5. Limit Citrus Foods and Drinks
The main mineral that makes up our tooth enamel is calcium phosphate. Foods and drinks that contain high levels of citric acid, react with the calcium phosphate in our teeth and cause the enamel to erode. This process is called demineralization. In more severe cases, the acid can damage the soft tissue underneath the enamel, called the dentin. This leads to sensitive teeth and pain. So, limiting your child’s intake of citrus foods and drinks will reduce the risk of demineralization. Your child should rinse the mouth after consumption of such food items.
6. Use Fluoridated toothpaste
Fluoride happens to be an important part of tooth development in children under the age of 7. It strengthens the enamel and also slows down the acid-producing capability of plaque. This way it plays a significant role in reducing the risk of tooth decay. Using fluoridated toothpaste can stimulate the process of remineralization if your child has already started to experience the symptoms of tooth decay. Too much fluoride can be harmful to health but rest assured, as the amounts in toothpaste are generally safe.
7. Make Regular Visits to the Dentist
It is important for children to visit the dentist twice a year for regular checkups. During these checkups, the dentist can provide preventive care, evaluate risks of cavity development and examine teeth and the rest of the mouth. You can start taking your child to a dentist as early as by their first birthday. These visits can help diagnose the problems early and also help the kids get used to visiting a dentist’s office. Consider taking your child to a pediatric dentist. They specialize in treating kids and are trained to handle issues associated with kids dental health.
Following these tips will minimise the chances of your child developing dental cavities and suffering from tooth decay. In essence, keeping sugary foods in check, encouraging proper oral hygiene routine and keeping in touch with your dentist will ensure good tooth cache for your child.
At Perfect Smile, we provide dental care for your entire family – for more information and to book your child in for a check-up, get in touch with us today.