Pediatric Dental Care 101 - Protecting Your Child from Tooth Decay

A healthy smile is a key element to a happy child. Tooth decay is one of the most difficult health problems facing our nation's children and much of this is due to a lack of information. To control tooth decay in children, you should create good habits and inform yourself of the facts. Here are some tooth decay facts you may not know:

Tooth Decay risk factors begin at infancy. Even as an infant, you should brush your child's teeth twice a day with a baby toothbrush. This should be done even if no teeth are present yet to begin fighting tooth decay in the future. These early habits will determine how hard it will be to fight tooth decay in the future.

Tap water is actually better for your teeth than bottled water. Tooth decay can be affected by fluoride levels, and tap water has fluoride. Speak with your dentist about this and see if your child is fluoride deficient. Only a dentist can tell for sure, and he will advise you on this matter.

You should brush your child's teeth up until the age of six. Below this age, the child will not be attentive enough to do it properly. Poor brushing can certainly lead to tooth decay. While this is debated among parents, the important thing is to supervise. If they brush themselves, be there to ensure it is done properly.

Have children brush twice a day. Once in the morning and once at night. When they brush in the morning, make sure it is after they eat. This is often a time of fun for my family. We all brush together and make it an enjoyable ritual. The kids have come to look forward to it.

Limit sweet snacks between meals. If your child must snack on something through the day, make sure it is a tooth friendly snack. Veggies are a great choice. Children often will learn to love the healthy treats that you give them if you are consistent in your feeding habits. My daughters love celery and carrots, but they did not start out loving them. It took some serious habitual prodding. Through persistence, they now love these things better than cookies.

Set a good example with your own teeth. A healthy set of teeth in a parent, free of tooth decay, can certainly promote good teeth in your children. They will do as they see you do so do it together!

Tooth decay is not something that any child should have to go through. As a parent, it is up to you to ensure that your child has healthy teeth and gums. Later, when your child is older and has a bright, white, tooth decay free smile, they will thank you. With some simple common sense and good early brushing habits, this will be rather easy on the list of parental responsibilities.