Smile Little Sunshine

A Guide to Pediatric Tooth Care

A healthy kid is a happy one. Often oral hygiene in children is overlooked by many parents as all the baby tooth falls out by the age of 11 or 12. But it is just as important to take care of them as the secondary teeth. Our dentists say that healthy oral practices in children reduce cavities, toothaches and even improves appetite according to some studies.

The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends visiting a dentist as early as at the age of one. This will help in determining early problems with your child’s teeth. Further, visiting the dentist from a young age will help your child be comfortable with and practice healthy oral habits.

Our dentists further recommend some fun and healthy practices that can help your little sunshine take care of his/her teeth better. Here are the ways to build healthy oral care habits:

1. Help your children choose their own toothbrush and toothpaste. They can choose their favourite colour and flavor.
2. Make sure to use soft bristled brushes. Children have softer gums than adults.
3. Make sure they brush all their teeth. Prepare a chart to show how to brush and make them practice it daily.
4. Make sure they brush their teeth for 2 minutes. Play their favourite song to help them keep track of time.
5. Treat your child with non-sugary treats for practicing healthy oral habits.
6. Plan a fun outing post-dental clinic visit.

Our dentists in the city further advice on good oral habits for improved health. Small amounts of fluorides are necessary for healthy teeth as it helps in hardening the tooth enamel. This can help prevent cavities in children. Ditch the pacifiers after the age of three as long-term usage can change the way of teeth line-up. Visiting our dentists will help you determine whether your child needs fluoride supplements.

Children who eat a lot of sugary food are also prone to dental cavities. Avoid too much sugar and sweetened drinks. Make sure that your kid brushes his/her teeth after a sugary treat. Orthodontic treatments are recommended at a young age for healthy teeth breakthroughs and jaw development. Although a complete treatment is possible only after the complete breakthrough of the secondary teeth. Adolescents can have fixed equipment or brackets for most jaw and teeth alignment issues.

Adolescents and older children (age 10 and above) are also encouraged to use sugar-free gums to help keep their mouth clean. Chewing sugar-free gum can help strengthen the jaws, balance oral pH, and freshen breath.

Dental safety is another healthy practice that is often overlooked. Children who are into sports or other physical activities should be asked to wear mouth guards. It is important to build healthy habits in children from a young age and oral care is one of them you should not miss out. For all of his/her other tooth woes, visit our clinic in Dubai.

Say cheese, little sunshine!