Do you prohibit your child to eat their favorite candy? Why say “NO” to chocolates when your child can have them as well as protect his or her teeth both.  Dental caries is a case which can happen at any age and if ignored can lead to various health complications. 20% of children aged 5 to 7 years have an untreated decayed tooth. This children’s day, let’s know more about your kid’s dental health and let your child smile freely.

What causes tooth decay in children?

Eating Habits: Kids often love to eat candies, chocolates, fizzy drinks, sweets ice cream which is sugar enriched foods.Excessive consumption of these foods can cause dental caries. How much ever the parents try they can never stop their children or have any control on what they eat throughout the day. But parents must make sure the frequency of eating should be controlled.

Binging and the increased frequency of eating is more harmful to the teeth. Many children also have a habit of keeping their food in the mouth for a long time. This makes the tooth more prone to cavities.

Fluoride deficiency: Fluoride is a mineral which prevents dental caries and protects teeth from the early stage. Fluoride is commonly found in water supply, toothpaste, and mouthwash. Deficiency of fluoride can cause the teeth to be more prone to the acid attack by the micro-organisms and cause early cavities.

Bedtime feeding: Some parents have a habit of bottle feeding their babies during bedtime. The sugar content in the milk stays in baby’s mouth even if he’s is asleep.The micro-organisms in the baby’s mouth ferment the sugar and release acids which dissolve the tooth structure. The baby’s teeth being delicate dissolves at a faster rate and causes tooth cavities.

Medical infections: Kids suffering from certain chronic infections are more prone to have their teeth to damage.

What are the consequences of cavities in Children?

• Impact on children’s nutrition.
• Alter speech and affect their self-esteem.
• Causes severe pain, and can worsen if not treated.
• Hinder adult teeth.
• Infections which can affect nearby teeth.
• Alignment issues.

How can you prevent that?

• Teach your child a proper technique of brushing teeth. Brushing twice daily both morning and at bed time is a must and should not be taken for granted. Make sure the child uses a pea sized toothpaste and not more than that. Supervising your child’s brushing till the age of 5 years is a must for every parent. The child should brush in small circular motion and not in any random motion.
• Include healthy foods in your child’s diet. Keep your them away from sugary foodsSugary foods are always loved by children and even adults. One cannot stop eating them but heres what you can do to avoid your child’s dental problems. Try giving them fiberous vegetables like cucumbers , tomatoes and carrots to flush out the food particles and sugars stuck on the tooth surfaces. Remind your children to drink plenty of water which will keep their teeth free from germs and bacteria.
• Cleaning your baby’s mouth with water at bed time
  
  Take a small piece of clean cloth or a gauze wrap it around your little finger and move it around in the baby’s mouth so as to wipe the gums. This will help to clean the gums of the baby making sure theres no milk or sugar present in the baby’s mouth. You can simply feed 2 spoons of water after the baby is finished drinking the milk.
• Schedule routine dental checkups for  regular cleaning and polishing and ask your dentist about fluoride treatments for children.