How to Keep Your Child's Teeth Healthy!

Pediatric Dentistry of Garden City

585 Stewart Avenue, Garden City, NY 11530

516-222-5100 

www.PediatricDentistryofGardenCity.com

As a parent you always want what’s best for your child, especially when it comes to their health needs. Keeping up with your child’s dental needs are very important. Unsure of when to start brushing, or when to bring them in for their first visit? Stop the worry! Here we will discuss how to keep your child’s teeth healthy.

When to start dental care:

Did you know that your child is born with 20 primary teeth? Most people don’t know. They don’t know that just because these 20 teeth aren’t visible doesn’t mean they are not there. Since these teeth are present at birth, you shouldn’t wait until your child’s first tooth appears to start dental care. Proper dental care for infants include, running a damp washcloth over their gums. It isn’t until a few teeth are visible that you start brushing with a child’s toothbrush.Something to be aware of in babies is bottle mouth. Bottle mouth is a condition that develops from poor feeding habits. The sugars from either milk or juice starts to eat away the enamel on the babies teeth. Signs of bottle mouth include, pocked, pitted or discolored front teeth.

Pediatric Dentists:

When deciding which dentist to take your child to, make sure you pick a dentist who is specialized in treating kids. Although pediatric dentists are trained to handle various issues for children, they have two primary goals. Prevention and Maintenance are their two main focuses. They need to prevent problems from happening and set routines for their patients to keep their gums and teeth healthy.

Preventing Cavities:

Visits to the dentist are an important part in keeping your child’s teeth healthy and preventing cavities. Before your child turns one, your child must visit the dentist. At this visit your dentist will show you how to properly brush and floss your baby’s teeth. At your next visit, your baby should have all it’s primary teeth in, your dentist will bring topical fluoride into your routine. By regularly using fluoride, you are toughening the enamel of your child’s teeth. Be careful, too much fluoride causes tooth discoloration. Around age 2-3, children can start using toothpaste (a pea-sized amount) when brushing. Brushing should happen at least 2 times a day. As your child develops permanent teeth, sealants should be applied. Your dentist will apply sealants, a protective coating, to the back teeth. It is also important to eat healthy foods and to try and say away from sweets!

Problems:

Tooth decay, gum disease, and cavities cannot be treated by simply brushing or flossing. If your child is complaining about pain from their teeth, please visit your dentist.  As your child grows older, their teeth alignment may change, as well as their bite. The sooner your bring these changes to your dentist, the more he/she can do to try and prevent your child from needing braces.  

How do you help your children keep their teeth healthy? Let us know on our Facebook page, linked HERE!