Tips For Preventing Cavities in Children

In general, cavities easily occur in children who like to eat sweet foods, such as chocolate, candy, ice cream, and so on. Children who have cavities can make the adjacent teeth shift. As a result, the permanent teeth that will grow later do not have enough space, so cavities are also one of the causes of permanent teeth growing sloppy.

Cavities in children's teeth need to be prevented. Apart from disturbing appearance, cavities can cause pain and reduce a child's appetite.
Cavities in children can be prevented by teaching simple dental care habits. This habit must be started early, because the damage that occurs can occur even after the first tooth erupts. Here are some simple efforts to prevent cavities in children:
•   Start brushing your child's teeth after the first tooth appears. Brush your teeth, tongue and gums twice a day with fluoride toothpaste. For children under 3 years of age, use only a small amount of toothpaste, about the size of a grain of rice. For children over 3 years, use the amount of a pea.
•  Make sure that the child eats a balanced healthy diet. Limit sticky, high-sugar snacks such as chips, candy, cookies and chocolate. Sugar in food will have a negative impact on children's dental health.
•   Teach children to use their tongue to clean food from their teeth.
•  Prevent the transfer of bacteria from the mouths of father and mother to children by not sharing cutlery.
•   Don't put your child to sleep while drinking or eating. This not only exposes children's teeth to sugar, but can also put children at risk for ear infections and choking.
•  Teach children to drink from a regular glass as soon as possible. Avoid using bottles, at least from 12 to 15 months of age. Drinking from a glass does not cause fluids to collect around the teeth. In addition, drinking from a glass cannot be done while sleeping.
•  Check with the dentist from the time the child has their first teeth, or when the child turns 1 year old. If there are dental problems, the doctor can see them early. Then carry out routine checks every six months.

As your child's permanent teeth develop, the dentist can help prevent cavities by applying a thin layer of resin (or sealant) to the molars. This is the area where chewing is done, and the area most at risk for cavities. This protective layer keeps bacteria from settling in between the hard-to-reach molars.
If parents are prone to tooth decay or gum disease, children may be at higher risk. Sometimes even good brushing and flossing habits can't prevent cavities.
So parents are highly recommended to always supervise the health of their children's teeth and make sure to always carry out routine controls with a pediatric dentist to ensure that the health and development of children's teeth is properly monitored.