10 Tips to Prevent Tooth Decay in Kids

When you wonder about the most prevalent children’s contagious disease, tooth decay perhaps isn’t what pops into your head first. About 50% of American kids have it. Early childhood caries accounts for the loss of more than 51 million hours of school.

The professionals often call dental caries the silent epidemic – though it is not silent at all. Researches show that the suffering of a toothache is practically the same as the pain of having a broken limb.

But don’t worry, tooth decay can be avoided. It’s essential to learn it’s caused for its prevention.

1.Develop teeth brushing routine
Kids are generally very easy to teach. A kid who develops the regular brushing habit will surely proceed to stick with it in adolescence and further. Kids may refuse to do it at first, but most will ultimately accept the habit if will be persistently reinforced.

2. Reward your kid
Let your child use a toothbrush of his choice (be reasonable of course) and create a goal scheme to keep up with his advancement to aim that leads to a prize like going to a cinema or visiting the toy store.

3. Help younger kids with brushing
You should help your kid until he reaches around 8 years. But keep in mind that until your kid can tie his own shoes without any help, he probably as well doesn’t have the necessary brushing skills. By doing so, you can be sure that no food residue, which can be the cause of cavities will stay in your kid’s mouth. Even if your child is now able to brush on his own, you should keep an eye on him to ensure that he’s doing a proper job.

4. Avoid sharing germs 
Don’t ever use your kid’s toys, sippy cups, bottles, pacifiers, or other things or permit your child to share them with anybody. Germs in our mouth can be transmitted to another person and it’s not healthy. Try your best to sanitize everything that may potentially contact your kid’s mouth to prevent bacteria-caused diseases like thrush.

5. Make regular appointments with the dentist
Appointments with the pediatric dentist are necessary to ensure your kid’s dental health. You should remember that good dental health is crucial for proper overall wellbeing. So take your kid to the dentist to prevent any signs of oral disease. The specialist will also provide you with the methods for taking care of your kid’s teeth, and matters like dental trauma and snacking.

6. Talk to your child
Talk to your kid about what things may happen to him at the dentist. Consult with your dentist about any issues you experience such as thumb sucking, teeth loss, mouthguards, or anything else.

7. Consider getting sealants 
For your kid’s oral health, consult with your dentist about the possibility of getting your kid’s teeth sealed. Sealants can reduce the risk of cavities and problems with dental fillings.

8. Prevent 'baby bottle decay'
Don't let your baby or older kid sleep with a bottle of juice, formula, or milk. The sugar from these drinks can accumulate in his mouth and cause dangerous bacteria development.

Try to provide your child with a bottle of clean water before he goes to bed.

9. Use a fluoride-containing toothpaste
Starting from the age of 2, let your kid use fluoride toothpaste. Make sure to monitor that your kid uses the recommended amount - and avoid rinsing afterward! Tell your kid to just spit out the leftover toothpaste. This will let the fluoride to sit on his teeth and protect them from bacteria. Your dentist may advise using a fluoride toothpaste for kids under the age of 2 but will provide you with special instructions.

10. Restrict your kid from too much sugar
The amount of sugar that your kid consumes directly relates to the risk of dental disease. If you interested in a proper diet for your kid, the dentist is the best person to ask.

The bottom line
Tooth decay can cause sleepless nights of discomfort, bad performance in school, and in some kids, bad behavior. If you follow these 10 tips you can be sure that your kid will not get any infection, experience tooth loss or cavities.