Children’s Dental Health and Hygiene

Importance of Children’s Dental Health from Infancy

• Start brushing your child’s teeth as soon as the first tooth emerges
• Supervise your child’s brushing
• Teach your child to floss
• Make brushing fun
• Sometimes, children can brush each other’s teeth for fun
• Let your child brush their teeth
• Encourage your child to consume milk and dairy products and develop an interest in them
• Parents should carefully monitor their child’s daily sugar intake

Essential Children’s Dental Health Tips for Parents

To maintain healthy teeth in childhood, both children and parents should follow certain practices:

Regular brushing and flossing, proper nutrition in childhood, methods to prevent decay such as fluoride therapy and fissure sealants, and regular visits for early diagnosis and treatment of oral diseases.

Tooth decay is one of the most common chronic diseases among children.

How to Maintain Children’s Dental Health from an Early Age?

When your child is a baby, dentists recommend using a sterile gauze or finger toothbrush for oral hygiene.

Using sterile gauze or a finger toothbrush on your child’s newly erupted teeth and gums will help maintain cleanliness.

A regular toothbrush suitable for the child’s age should be used after the first year.

Brushing Techniques for Children’s Dental Health

• A toothbrush is the primary tool for cleaning the oral cavity. It must be soft and designed for children.
• The appearance of the toothbrush is very important when choosing a toothbrush for children. Let your child choose his toothbrush.
• There are various toothbrushes in different colors, sizes, shapes, and cartoon characters that can be enjoyable for children.
• Many children also like electric toothbrushes. Children under three should not use toothpaste unless recommended by a dentist.
• Brushing teeth regularly twice a day is essential for children. One brushing time is at night before bed, and the other is better in the morning after breakfast.
• Help your child brush his teeth until he is nine years old. Then, let your child brush his teeth himself. Some children like to be independent in everything. Do not suppress their sense of authority.
• Take turns brushing. Let your child brush first; then, you can finish the job or do the opposite. Brush your teeth first, and when you are sure the teeth are clean, let your child brush his teeth himself.
• Sometimes, you and your child brush each other’s teeth. Give your child a toothbrush and teach him how to brush his teeth correctly. Then, let him brush your teeth first, then brush your child’s teeth thoroughly.
• Explain to your child the consequences of not brushing their teeth.
• Explain that their teeth will become dirty and yellow if not cleaned regularly.
• The idea of having yellow teeth is unpleasant enough to motivate your child to brush regularly. You can also show your child pictures of decayed teeth. Of course, remember not to overdo it and scare your child with dental drills and ampoules.
• Make brushing fun. Show your child you can brush your teeth while dancing, playing, and making faces. Look in the mirror together, laugh, and make faces.

Flossing and Its Role in Children’s Dental Health

When the baby molars come into contact with each other at about 3 years of age, the toothbrush can no longer clean the spaces between the teeth, and dental floss should be used. Parents should take on flossing between the teeth until the child can do it himself.

Proper Nutrition for Better Children’s Dental Health

Teaching the child oral hygiene and directing his diet towards low-sugar foods is essential to maintain dental health.

In the meantime, the family environment is the best place for the child to learn because good oral hygiene habits are established in childhood.

It is worth noting that sweet and sticky snacks, such as candy or chocolate, and foods containing artificial sweeteners, such as carbonated drinks, are very harmful to the health of the child’s teeth.

To prevent damage to the child’s teeth, it is better to use natural sweets such as honey, fruits, and natural fruit juices. Consuming raw vegetables and fruits, natural teeth cleaners, and gum massagers are also recommended.

«By age 9, half of children (50%) have had cavities in their primary (baby) or permanent teeth.»

Fluoride Therapy: A Key to Children’s Dental Health

It is one of the most effective methods for preventing cavities. Fluoride is a substance that combines with the components of tooth enamel, making this new combination more resistant to caries.

Fluoride therapy is most effective in childhood, particularly when permanent teeth begin to erupt. Its effectiveness decreases with age.

The most significant effect of fluoride therapy is between 3 and 15 years of age.

Fissure Sealants: Preventing Cavities in Children’s Dental Health

Fissure sealants are an essential treatment method for preventing caries in permanent molars. In this method, the deep grooves on the chewing surface of permanent molars are covered with a composite-like material to make them easier to clean.

If a tooth has minor decay, the affected area is cleaned and restored using the specified materials. Of course, this treatment can be prescribed for older children and even adults, but the main goal is to reduce the risk of chewing surface decay in children.

Teeth treated with the above methods show significant resistance to chewing surface decay.

Maintaining proper oral hygiene is crucial for the success of these treatments.

If the dentist treats the teeth in the best possible way to prevent decay, but the child does not observe oral hygiene and is not under proper supervision by the parents, prevention will not be of much use because decay will quickly involve the lateral surfaces of the teeth.

Conclusion

Oral hygiene is one of the most critical issues in child health. This article provides educational tips on oral hygiene for children.

Prevent your child’s tooth decay by observing oral hygiene, visiting the dentist on time, not using sugary substances and harmful foods, and using healthy foods and snacks.

If you have problems with your child’s mouth and teeth, it is best to see a dentist and learn tips on proper nutrition to keep their teeth healthy.