This month is National Children’s Dental Health Month. Explore methods to keep up and advance your baby’s oral health.

Written by: Tehreem Khan
Media Contact: Anna Jones

February is National Children’s Dental Health Month — a chance for folks and guardians of younger kids to discover greatest practices about dental hygiene and prevention methods in opposition to dental harm.  

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, tooth decay is without doubt one of the commonest childhood persistent ailments. Stephen Mitchell, DMD, affiliate professor and pediatric dentist within the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Dentistry, says dad and mom play an important position in defending kids’s smiles. Mitchell recommends constructing a robust basis for good dental hygiene by serving to kids preserve a balanced weight loss program, brushing and flossing every day, and making certain common dental checkups.

Maintain dental hygiene

According to Mitchell, brushing within the morning and earlier than mattress is essential for sustaining oral health.

“When we sleep, our mouths dry, permitting micro organism referred to as plaque to develop. We need to brush away as a lot plaque off the enamel earlier than mattress as doable,” he stated.

Proper brushing ought to give attention to the place the enamel and gums come collectively.

“This is the place the micro organism like to cover,” Mitchell stated. “Often, you have to to drag the decrease lip down so you may get the toothbrush all the way in which to the gums of the decrease enamel.”

Mitchell recommends that oldsters ought to oversee brushing till the kid develops mature hand-eye coordination, which is essential to efficient brushing.

“Most kids will not be able to brush independently till 6-7 years of age,” Mitchell stated. “Before that, let the kid apply brushing; however then go behind them to essentially get the enamel clear.”

Another essential apply is flossing, advisable a minimum of one a day. “A toothbrush can’t attain between the enamel, so floss is the one option to take away micro organism between the enamel,” Mitchell stated.

Prevent tooth decay

Dental decay is a persistent illness that occurs over an extended time period, partially due to fixed publicity to sugary treats. Therefore, managing consumption of sugary meals is essential in stopping tooth decay.

“While brushing and flossing will assist forestall tooth decay, one of the simplest ways to forestall tooth decay is to restrict the variety of sugary meals your baby eats every day,” Mitchell stated. “People typically join sweet to tooth decay; however candy drinks like juice, sodas and flavored milks appear to trigger extra cavities in my sufferers.”

Limiting sugar consumption is crucial step dad and mom can take to scale back the chance of decay.

If a baby has a dental harm, name your dentist instantly. UAB Dentistry offers high quality, complete basic and specialty oral health look after you and your loved ones. Make an appointment right now at uab.edu/dentistry.

“Candy sparsely shouldn’t be a nasty factor,” Mitchell stated. “Sticky and bitter candies that keep within the mouth a very long time are usually the riskiest, whereas chocolate that melts away rapidly tends to do the least quantity of harm to the enamel. But, if dad and mom need to actually scale back cavity threat, scale back candy drinks.”

Artificial sweeteners like sucralose, stevia or aspartame don’t trigger cavities. Therefore, one other option to scale back the chance of growing cavities is switching drinks to merchandise sweetened with these kind of sweeteners.

Respond to dental trauma instantly

Dental trauma is bodily harm to the enamel, gums, the bone that holds the tooth sockets or the gentle tissue of the mouth, together with the lips and tongue.

While taking part in sports activities corresponding to softball or baseball, the chance for dental trauma is excessive. Mitchell and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry suggest utilizing a mouthguard in any sport that permits. If a everlasting tooth is ever knocked out, time is vital.

“If the tooth may be put again in beneath half-hour, there’s a higher probability of an excellent final result,” he stated. “Placing the tooth instantly into milk extends the time significantly.”

If a baby has a dental harm, name your dentist instantly.

UAB Dentistry offers high quality, complete basic and specialty oral health look after you and your loved ones. Make an appointment right now at uab.edu/dentistry.