How can I help prevent my child from getting cavities?

You remember suffering from dental decay as a child, and want to protect your children from not only the discomfort of the cavity itself, but the process required to repair decay. Prevention is much easier than having to react to a problem; and with the treatments available with today’s affordable dentistry, you might be able to save your child from undergoing what you dealt with.
Your dentist has multiple services that can help protect your child’s teeth. But you have to do your part. Your child should start regular dental visits around the age of twelve months. During that early exam the child receives an examination to determine if there are any concerns evident. This first visit is also a perfect opportunity for caregivers to learn all the ways they can protect their child’s dentition.
As an infant and toddler, you can make sure that your child’s bottle that is given at bed time or nap time contains nothing but water. Formula, milk, and juice are all favorites for your child, but if your child falls asleep with a mouthful of any of these products, the sugar can linger on small teeth forming into plaque.
And even though those baby teeth are temporary, they are laying the groundwork for permanent teeth designed to last a lifetime. Caring for those first teeth is just as important as their permanent teeth.
As your child grows, the foods and beverages they are given under your watchful eye is just a small sample of what they will actually consume over the growing years. So make good decisions … provide healthy fresh fruits and vegetables along with a diet that is balanced to contain protein, dairy, and healthy snacks. Limit sugary snacks and beverages to special occasions.
Monitor the frequency and how your child brushes and flosses. This is crucial to their dental health and requires supervision.
Make sure your child sees the dentist every six months. There are programs available to help control dental decay. Dental sealants can be applied to the chewing surfaces of molar teeth to seal the natural pits found on teeth … these are the areas where decay most often occurs. Fluoride treatments are available to help keep enamel strong and decay resistant.
Your child’s dental health is for life so do whatever you can to make it great. Schedule an appointment with our team at the office of Dr. Philip Kozlow today!