For most parents, the health of their children is their top priority over other things. However, they often forget to give importance to their children’s dental health with the thought that their babies’ first teeth will soon fall off and be replaced with permanent teeth. Not knowing that the bad teeth of kids will risk them to serious health issues. Just because baby teeth can be replaced, doesn't mean that tooth decay and other dental problems are normal. These things have a big impact on your children's health because bacteria build-up will cause them pain and if the toothache is something an adult can't bear, how much more to your child?
So, if you have plans of making your children healthy right from the day they are born, you better include children’s dental health on your list. According to a research study, awareness of parents regarding oral health preventive measures play a key role in determining the oral health of children. Neglecting these things will never be a good start for their oral health the same goes for their overall physical health. If you’re still not convinced to take care of your children’s dental health, we’ve gathered all the reasons below for you to finally acknowledge its importance. We also include step-by-step instructions on how you can take care of your babies’ first teeth to make this guide worthwhile on your end!
Why Is Children's Dental Health Important?
Cavity Build-up Is Painful
Babies’ first teeth are more prone to cavity build-up because it is during this stage that they are very fond of sweet foods like candies, chocolates, and ice cream. As a parent, you would surely give your child the foods that can stop their tantrums by giving them a treat that they find very delicious. And because their teeth aren’t permanent, you may over serve these types of foods. However, you need to remind yourself that sugary foods will turn into acids in your child’s mouth that will feed the growth of bad bacteria. These bacteria will cling to your baby’s teeth creating holes or cavities.
Aside from that, the babies’ first teeth are prone to cavities because they are way thinner than permanent teeth. If cavities start to form in your child’s tooth, the cavities will potentially transfer to the nearby tooth since these bacteria are multiplied when not treated right away.
What’s next after cavity build-up? Cavity causes toothache in your child and we all know how painful toothache could be for them. Moreover, they are not the same as adults that can explain well where the pain is coming from. Therefore, it will be hard not just for your kids but also on your part because you won’t be able to know how to help them ease the pain.
Preparation for the Permanent Teeth
The arrangement of babies’ first teeth will also determine the arrangement of the permanent teeth. That’s why it is important to take good care of their teeth as early as now so the moment one tooth will fall off, it will be replaced with another set of teeth that are the same as the firsts. However, bad teeth of kids including different sizes or disorganized teeth will only result in a terrible teeth appearance. So, it is how you as a parent take care of your children's dental health that will determine the arrangement for their permanent teeth.
Improves Facial Features
As a child grows up, the more his or her physical appearance will improve. It is expected that your child is not properly developed with regards to the shape of their face because they still have soft tissues that can be enhanced in due time. And baby teeth are one factor that can help improve your child’s facial features. When you take care of the baby teeth, it will serve as a foundation for the suitable development of their jaws. Therefore, if your child has a complete set of healthy teeth, he or she will also have a jaw with a more defined look, which is a perfect feature of one’s face.
Chewing Food Is Made Easy
Dental care for kids is very much needed if you want your child to have a healthy mind and body. Foods are the number one source of nutrients and vitamins for everyone, most especially for children. For this reason, you will have to let your child eat different types of nutritious foods for them to grow. But how can your child do this if he or she happens to have toothache most of the time? Baby teeth play an important role in chewing food that’s why there is a need to take care of them, regardless if they are permanent or not.
So, if you invest time in children's dental health, the more they will be able to enjoy nutritious foods that are vital for their growth. Moreover, without baby teeth, the food will not be ground or mashed well, resulting in indigestion, which will give your child stomach ache or any type of stomach discomfort. Follow the steps below in teaching your child how to chew properly. Doing so, will not damage their teeth.
How Can A Child Chew Food Properly
- Make sure that your child’s spoon or fork is not full before consumption.
- Order them to close their mouth while chewing the food.
- Instruct your child to chew slowly and gradually and use their teeth in breaking down the food before swallowing.
- Only allow them to get another spoonful of food once their mouth is empty.
- Let your child drink water once he finished the food. (However, it is better to prepare a glass of water on the table while he is still eating in case of any emergency.)
Helps A Child Talk Clearly
It’s music to your ears the first time you hear your child utter a word and with proper dental care for kids, you can be sure that they will be able to talk and utter words clearly. The mouth of your child is important for speech so taking care of its parts such as teeth, tongue, and lips are essential for them to quickly learn to speak. If one part is damaged like a lost tooth, your child will be having a hard time pronouncing words. The airflow coming from your mouth can only be controlled by the formation or alignment of teeth, without them, the air will pass through creating a whistling sound instead of words uttered.
Creates A Beautiful Smile
What a wonderful sight it is to see a child’s smile, it gives you a boost of good vibes after a long tiring day at work. And it’s not that hard to admit that the key to a beautiful smile is to have a wonderful set of teeth because every time a child smiles, it’s his front upper teeth that are showing. So, as early as childhood years, you as a parent should take responsibility for maintaining a beautiful white smile for your child. By the time that the temporary teeth will be replaced with permanent teeth, they are already youngsters and they will be the ones responsible for their oral health.
Always remember that your child’s appearance is a reflection of how you are as a parent. Therefore, if there’s an urge within you to maintain a beautiful white smile for yourself, the same amount of effort must be done to take care of your child’s teeth, regardless if they are permanent or not.
Boosts Child’s Confidence
Parents want their children to be confident within themselves so that they won’t shy away from opportunities and other things that the world can offer. Aside from their physical health, it is also important that you support their emotional health by giving them enough boost about how they look and feel. Bullying is the one thing that wasn’t eradicated in society, it became rampant especially in school children. Studies show that children with oral disorders such as untreated caries tend to get bullied in school than the ones with good oral health. No parent wants this to happen to their child.
The earliest prevention you can do now is to take care of your baby’s teeth so that oral problems can’t be used against them in the future. If you want to boost the confidence of your child, the set of teeth that they have must be something that they are not afraid to show off. Make sure that your dental care for kids will help them create a wonderful world through their beautiful smiles.
Early Practice of Oral Care
While they are young, it is the best time to introduce to your children the importance of dental health. In this way, they are prepared to face each day with a different routine that will maintain white teeth, fresh breath, and healthy gums. Dental phobia has always been common to people most especially to children, that’s according to an assessment conducted by dental professionals. You may have experienced this before where you always think that going to dental check-ups is very painful. It’s time to eliminate this type of fear from your children by acquiring dental care for kids that will ease them from thinking that meeting the dentist is equivalent to suffering.
How to Take Care of Children's Dental Health?
Remove the Milk Bottle In A Child’s Mouth
It is normal for kids to drink their milk straight from the bottle and sometimes it ends up as a habit to just suck on the bottle even if it’s already empty. This type of routine will result in bad teeth of kids because milk is mixed with sugar and it will eat away the tooth enamel of your child. It will not take long for the cavities to form in the front teeth of the child if you tend to forget to remove the empty bottle from his mouth. The alternative way to solve this problem is to use a cup with a spout the moment your child reaches 8 months of age.
Prepare Healthy Meal for Your Children
You might be wondering why preparing healthy meals is relevant for children’s dental health. This is because what they put inside their mouth could either be healthy or bad for their teeth. For example, if you happen to always give them sugary foods and drinks like juice and cookies, their teeth are more prone to cavities because of sugar and acid contents. So, prepare a healthy meal for your children that includes fruits and vegetables because their nutrients can help them maintain a bacteria-free mouth. You don’t necessarily need to exclude sweets in their meals, you just have to limit their consumption.
Brush Your Children’s Teeth Everyday
Brushing teeth for 2x a day should also be applicable to children between the ages 1-3 and not just for children 4 and up. You will have to guide them in doing this because there is no way they can do it all by themselves. Dental professionals suggested brushing with appropriate use of fluoride toothpaste as the basic regimen for children’s good oral hygiene. In this way, you can prevent plaque and cavities that affect babies’ first teeth. Gently brush all sides of their teeth every morning and night and make sure that they spit out the toothpaste afterward.
Consider Getting A Dental Sealant
Dental sealant has been widely used not just for adults but also for kids. The thing about a dental sealant is that the procedure is done quickly with no pain at all, that’s why it is also ideal for your children. Whether it is their temporary or permanent teeth, it is important that it is free of cavities or tooth decay. You can only do this 100% by coating your child’s teeth with dental sealant. It serves as a shield or a blockage so that the enamel won’t be damaged with any plaque or tartar buildup. You can contact your dentist about this or you may choose to learn more about dental sealants here.
Use Water Flosser
Flossing should start the moment your child has teeth next to each other. It is one way of making sure that there is no food debris stuck in between the teeth. However, flossing could be difficult to do if you use the traditional string floss because children have the tendency to move. And with one wrong move, you may damage your child’s teeth or gums.
Good thing there is a water flosser that can be used not just for you but also for the whole family. You don’t have to worry about letting your child use the water flosser after using it yourself because most water flossers come with different tips that are meant for every family member. Moreover, it is easier to use because you will just let the water stream in your child’s teeth to remove plaque and tartar build-up. Studies have shown that the combination of water flosser and manual brushing removes significantly more plaque from tooth surfaces than brushing alone.
Steps in Using Water Flosser for Kids
- Fill the reservoir with warm water before placing it on the base.
- Water flossers come with different tips so choose the one meant for your child.
- Click the tip into the handle.
- Turn on the water flosser and set the control dial too high to let the water flow. (The next time you will use it, you can set the control dial to any type of pressure you want.)
- In a sink, instruct your child to lean over so that the water won’t stream down to his or her clothes.
- Place the tip at the gumline and let the water flow to clean each tooth.
- Move it from one gum to another.
- Once you have finished flossing your child’s teeth, turn the water flosser off and remove the tip.
You can easily buy the best water flosser that is safe to use for your child and for the whole family on Amazon now! As demonstrated, with one dental tool you will be able to maintain a clean and healthy mouth for all your loved ones. You can also check out the video demonstration below or if you are interested in the benefits of using a water flosser, you can learn more about that in the next article.
Conclusion
Dental care for kids is not just for meticulous parents but for everyone who wants their children to practice good oral hygiene as part of their everyday routine. Don’t let them grow up without knowing the basics so that it will not lead to dental problems that may affect their overall health. Make sure to encourage them in visiting a dentist every 6 months to maintain a healthy mouth every now and then!
Disclaimer:
The content in this article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare provider before making any changes to your health regimen. The author and publisher do not take responsibility for any consequences resulting from the information provided in this article.