Kids: is there anything they love more than sugar? While that might vary a bit with each individual youngster there’s one thing that does hold true: kids love candy, soda, and other sugary treats. The bad thing about that? Those all destroy teeth, so let’s talk about preventing kids cavities.
At Shorewood Family Dental Care we see children of all ages for dental care and there’s one thing we always stress: sugar is the enemy! The American Dental Association agrees with us, and that’s why this year’s children’s dental health month’s theme is “Sugar Wars!”
Sugar: What’s The Risk?
Waging war against the destructive forces of sugar isn’t just about keeping it out of your children’s mouths. In fact, sugar doesn’t act alone in destroying teeth – oral bacteria and sugar feed off each other to create acids that destroy tooth enamel. When your child eats sugar the bacteria in their mouths metabolizes it into acid and starts an assault on their teeth that lasts at least a half hour from the moment they take their last bite.
The risks posed by sugar lead to cavities and prematurely lost teeth, which is a major problem for young patients! Baby teeth that fall out before they’re ready can lead to other teeth shifting, crowding, and trouble when those permanent teeth start to come in. And that leads to braces and other orthodontic treatments that cost a lot of money!
Fighting Back Against Sugar: Preventing Kids Cavities.
When it comes to making your child eat less sugar and brush their teeth better you’re looking at quite the challenge. The folks at the ADA know that too, which is why they decided to put a fun spin on oral health with the Sugar Wars theme. They know, and you probably do to, that the easiest way to make a child do something is to just make it fun.
If you want to use the Sugar Wars theme to help your children learn about brushing we recommend trying to make them think about the forces at war for their teeth. You can paint plaque bacteria and sugar as enemies that want to work together to destroy their oral health, leaving them with cavities and a bad smile.
Or you could try to motivate them with rewards of some kind. A lot of children will respond positively to trading candy for money, getting rewards for brushing their teeth without motivation, or anything else you can think of. It can be difficult to get the formula right but when you do the result will be a healthier, happier child!
Professional Dental Care: It’s Essential!
A lot of new parents contact us with questions about their child’s oral health. They want to know how to take care of their infant, or when their child should start seeing us – they even ask if their child’s teeth are coming in too slowly!
It doesn’t matter what kinds of questions you have: we’re glad to answer them. We’ll also give you a recommendation we give everyone: we should see your child by their first birthday or their first tooth, whichever comes first.
Early dental care has been shown to motivate children to have better overall oral health as they grow up. If your child sees dentistry as an essential part of life they’ll be more likely to continue good habits, so we say you should even bring them in before they need to be seen!
Bringing your child to your own dental appointment is a great way to help them become familiar with dental care. We’ll gladly help them understand anything they need, show them around, let our staff meet them, and let them be there for your appointment. Seeing you sit in the dental chair can be a great way to make them feel more comfortable.
As your child grows regular cleanings and exams will benefit them more and more. We’ll be able to eliminate excess plaque bacteria and check for problems before they become serious. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure and that goes double for your oral health.
Is Your Child Smile-Ready?
Getting your young ones the care they need starts early when it comes to preventing kids cavities. Don’t delay bringing them to see us, even if it’s just to say hi! We’d love to meet each and every member of your family at our Shorewood office. After all, we can’t make smiles last a lifetime if we don’t get to see them!
To make an appointment for you or anyone else in your family simply call us today at 815-725-5991 or request an appointment by filling out our online form. We’ll see you soon!
