Keep bacteria in check with healthy dental habits at home and preventative dentistry at your dental appointments.
Teaching children the importance of keeping their teeth and gums clean and healthy from an early age is essential for their self care. Without proper attention, their oral health can be at risk of developing a series of issues, which may require dental treatments. As children begin to get their first adult teeth from around the age of 6 years old, it’s important that they are prepared to keep them healthy for a lifetime, which is what makes investing in their teeth from a young age so beneficial.
When it comes to preventative dentistry, there are a few things you can expect from your children’s dentist, including fluoride varnish and fissure sealant.
Our mouths are home to bacteria which feed on the sugars in the foods and drinks we consume producing acid that can wear away at tooth enamel, leaving the risk of cavities. Using flouride helps the teeth to become stronger and more resistant against acid for greater protection.
How much saliva your mouth is producing each day, as well as genetics, can play a role in some children being more susceptible to cavities compared to others. If a child still has tooth decay, despite following recommended dental care, their dentist can apply a fluoride varnish directly onto the child’s tooth surface to help to prevent cavities from arising.
When your child’s molars first erupt at around the age of 6 years old, this is when dental decay is most likely to appear, because the top of their teeth are not completely mineralised. The chewing surface of their teeth will also have fissures, which are grooves and deep pits and because they are so narrow, it can be difficult for toothbrush bristles to effectively clean them. This can lead to bacteria and decay, however, by having a fissure sealant on your child’s teeth, it can smooth the tooth’s surface to make it harder for decay to develop.
To expand on the care provided by your children’s dentists, there are a few habits you can get into at home to help promote preventative dentistry. For example, brushing, flossing and limiting sugar intake are all key steps to keeping the bacteria which lives in our mouths in check.
However, even with all the right at home dental care, because fissures are difficult to clean, it is important to be booking routine appointments with a children’s dentist. These appointments will allow the dentist to examine your child’s teeth and follow up with the recommended care, which often only a dental professional can provide.
If you are searching for a children’s dentist Mitcham is where you will find us. We are located inside of Marsh House Orthodontics in Mitcham, providing preventative dentistry, dental treatments and early orthodontics in a family friendly environment.
If your child is due a trip to the dentist, contact our team to book their next appointment.