All parents should know that milk teeth are as essential as adult teeth. Thus, they should help their children in taking care of their baby teeth. This way, they can help them prevent tooth decay. This is one of the prevalent diseases among most children. This dental condition can lead to severe discomfort and affect your child’s performance in school. Therefore, it is crucial to identify and treat this condition early enough. Aside from that, how do you help a child with tooth decay?
How do you deal with baby bottle tooth decay?
In this present age and time, there are various treatment options for tooth decay. Each differs depending on the extent of the decay and the age of the child. Small children can develop baby bottle tooth decay. This condition usually appears as white spots on the tooth during the early stages. The white spots result from enamel erosion. At this point, pediatric dentists can prescribe fluoride treatments. Ensure the child consumes a healthy diet at this stage to prevent further decay. Note that all diet changes should get approved by your pediatric dentist.
How do you treat severe tooth decay in infants?
At times, baby bottle tooth decay can advance and lead to severe symptoms. At this stage, seek medical help from your pediatric dentist. Since the decay is usually similar to the normal tooth decay in adults, it gets treated like the usual decay. Your pediatric dentist can recommend a filling. This is often a hard substance placed on the cavity to cure and stop the decay’s spread. There are two major types of fillings. They include:
- Direct restorations. A direct restoration is often made from resin, silver, and acrylic acids. The pediatric dentist places the filling directly into the cavity. They resemble the color of the teeth.
- Indirect restorations. Pediatric dentists will require more than one appointment for this filling. Some of the types of indirect restorations include crowns and veneers. They resemble the white part of the teeth.
If the tooth has a deep cavity, the kid’s dentist may suggest getting rid of the tooth. The process involves a lot of discomfort and pain. So, the pediatric dentist uses anesthesia depending on the age of the child. Afterward, your dentist will recommend the best oral practices to prevent the issue from recurring.
Ways of preventing tooth decay in children
Clean and floss your child’s teeth
Children under one year should also observe proper teeth hygiene practices. Always use a soft clean cloth to wipe their teeth and gums. You can also invest in an excellent child-friendly toothbrush and toothpaste. At this age, use a toothpaste product with low fluoride content. Infants tend to swallow toothpaste, so avoid high content fluoride toothpaste.
After your child turns one, ensure they brush their teeth at least two times a day. You can start introducing high content fluoride toothpaste when your child can spit on their own. Never let them go to bed without brushing their teeth. This, in turn, helps your child prevent further tooth decay.
Give your child water with high fluoride content
If your child got treated for tooth decay, it would be best if you ensure they drink water with fluoride. Fluoride strengthens the teeth and will prevent further decay. If you are sure that your water does not contain fluoride, your pediatric dentists will prescribe fluoride treatment for your child. This substance goes a long way in preventing decay.
Monitor your child’s diet
Sugar is the leading cause of tooth decay. So, it would be best to eliminate all unhealthy and sugary foods from your child’s regular diet. Always monitor what your child eats. Avoid snacks like biscuits, cakes, and all types of candy. Instead, store up delicious fruits in your fridge that your child can grab whenever they are hungry. Also, yogurt is a healthy snack that your children can find enjoyable. Ensuring that your child consumes a healthy diet prevents decay and promotes healthy adult teeth. Suppose your child eats sugary foods, make sure they clean their teeth afterward. Also, ensure your child drinks water after meals.
Schedule frequent dental checkups for your child
Take your children for dental checkups. This is the only way your pediatric dentist can identify an underlying dental problem early enough. You can start taking your child to the dentist from the age of one. Luckily, most pediatric dentists will give you the best tips to maintain healthy teeth for your child. Moreover, the early they administer treatment, the better.
In summary
Nowadays, there are many ways you can prevent tooth decay. But if your child already has tooth decay, there are various treatment alternatives. The treatment your pediatric dentist will prescribe will depend on the severity of the condition and the child’s age. Severe decay will need tooth extraction and fillings. After treatment, you ought to observe various oral practices that boost your child’s oral health. Remember, you do not want the decay to recur. So, follow all the instructions given by your kid’s dentist.
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