Dental Care
Child Care - Dental Tips
- Brush your child’s teeth for the first 4 to 5 years until your child seems able to do it alone.
- A good teaching method is to have your child brush in the morning and you brush at night until your child masters the skill
- Avoid high-sugar foods, especially sticky, sweet like taffy and raisins. The longer sugar stays in touch with your teeth, the more damage it can do. Don’t snack before bedtime. Food is more likely to cause cavities at night because saliva doesn’t clean the mouth as well as night.
- Cheese, peanuts, yogurt, milk and sugar-free gum are good for your teeth, They can help clear the mouth of harmful sugars and reduce plaque formations
- OTHER – If your local water supply does not contain enough fluoride, your child may need a fluoride supplement.
- Start flossing your child’s teeth as soon as they touch each other
Preventive Dental Care
When you consider the high cost of poor Dental Hygiene, including cavities,fillings, or a root canal, it makes much more sense to follow basic dental care and hygiene tips and keeps your teeth healthy.
Preventative care, including basic brushing and flossing sealant, and regular visits to the dentist every six months, is much less expensive than having to pay to fix cavities
- Have a dental checkup at least Every 6 Months
- Brush at least twice a day with soft toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste.
- Use floss every day.
- Use an inter dental brush daily
- Use an anti – microbial month rinse to control gingivitis
- Use a topical application of fluoride for dry mouth
- If your gums bleed when you brush or eat see your dentist
- Smoking makes your gums worse, quit. People with diabetes gum disease more often
- Gum infections make it hard to control blood sugar
- Once a gum infection starts it takes a long time to heal it.
- If the infection is severe. You can loose your teeth.
- Natural teeth help you chew foods better and easier than dentures.
- Check the fit of your dentures yearly to prevent sores.
Brushing Tips
- Use a soft bristled brush, preferably one with rounded, synthetic bristles.
- Replace your toothbrush approximately every two to three months or as soon as the bristles are worn or bent. A worn-out toothbrush does not clean your teeth properly, and may actually injure your gums.
- You should also replace your toothbrush after you’ve had a cold.
- Be sure your brush is the right size (in general, smaller is than larger).
- Place the bristles at a 45 degree angle to the gum line, and slide the tips of the brush under the gums.
- Gently jiggle the bristles or move it in small circles over the tooth and gums.
- Brush the outside, the inside, and the chewing surfaces of your teeth. For chewing surface, use a light back and forth motion.
- For the front teeth, brush the inside surface of the upper and lower jaws: Tilt your brush vertically and make several strokes up and down with the front part of the brush over the teeth and gum tissues.
- Brushing your tongue will help freshen your breath. Debris and bacteria can collect on your tongue and cause bad breath.
- Since your toothbrush will only clean one or two teeth at a time. Change its position to clean each tooth properly.
- Brush at least once every day. Preferably at bedtime. Adding a brush time after breakfast increase your chances of thorough daily plaque removal.
- Don’t brush your teeth too vigorously, and don’t use a hard bristled toothbrush, since it causes the gums to recede and exposes root surfaces. It also wears down the tooth structure. Both of these conditions can lead to tooth sensitivity.
- A pea-sized amount of fluoridated toothpaste is sufficient.
- Replace your brush when the bristles begin to spread, as a worn out toothbrush will not properly clean your teeth.
It’s recommended to visit the dentist every six months for a routine check-up and cleaning. Regular visits help catch any potential problems early and keep your teeth and gums in good health. If you have specific dental issues or concerns, your dentist might recommend more frequent visits.
For children, daily dental care includes brushing their teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, flossing daily, and avoiding sugary snacks. It’s also important to schedule regular dental check-ups to ensure their teeth and gums are developing healthily.
To prevent cavities in your child’s teeth, encourage good oral
hygiene habits like brushing twice a day and flossing daily. Limit
sugary snacks and drinks, and ensure they get regular dental
check-ups. Dental sealants and fluoride treatments can also help
protect their teeth from cavities.
If your child loses a tooth early due to an accident or other reasons, contact the dentist for advice. In some cases, the dentist might recommend space maintainers to ensure there is enough room for the permanent tooth to come in properly.
To improve your dental care routine, make sure you brush your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, floss daily, and use mouthwash if recommended. Also, limit sugary foods and drinks, and visit your dentist regularly for check-ups and cleanings. These habits will help keep your teeth and gums healthy.