Prevention
Increased use of preventive dental services can improve the health of infants and children. Tooth decay is a progressive disease resulting from the interaction of bacteria that naturally occur in your mouth and the sugars consumed in your diet. Avoiding unnecessary decay simply requires following the following measures from a very young age:
Preventive measures
- Do not permit your child to nurse passively on the breast or bottle while sleeping. The last thing you should do is tooth brushing.
- Your child should be weaned and solid foods introduced in his diet, soon after the first birthday. This is a critical time in teaching your child to eat healthful foods.
- If a bottle must be continued, fill it only with water. Any other liquid in the bottle causes tooth decay.
- Brush your child’s teeth after the morning feeding and before bedtime. A small soft bristled brush with a very small amount of toothpaste is recommended. Ask your dentist or dental hygienist for brushing instructions. Toothpaste is not recommended in children younger than the age of 2 due to inability to control swallowing.
- For more than forty years, fluoride has been recognized for its decay preventing qualities. There are three basic ways of bringing the benefits of fluoride to your child: fluoridated community water application of fluoride to the tooth surfaces fluoride taken orally. He will benefit from all three ways. The decision should rest on the advice of your dentist
- Avoid feeding your children with foods containing excessive amounts of sugar. Sweetened between meal snacks and drinks should be avoided. When sweets are given, they should be offered as dessert, while the flow of saliva is still active and capable of providing some natural cleansing