Everything You Should Know about Your Children’s Teeth
If you are a parent, you must take good care of your children’s dental health; otherwise, chances are they will face dental problems. Remember, teeth are one of the most important ectodermal organs in the human body. Although they look strong and sturdy, they need a similar amount of care as other ectodermal organs like skin and hair. Therefore, it’s better to guide your children that they must invest 3-5 minutes both in the morning and in the evening while cleaning their teeth. A good dental care routine is essential to maintaining healthy teeth and a beautiful smile.
Since our reliance on fast foods (food that lacks essential nutrients) is increasing day by day, the self-healing capacity of our bodies is also degrading. Besides, the unhealthy lifestyle we lead nowadays causes even more problems for our physical and mental health. So if your kids consume a lot of fast food and sugary foods like chocolates, cakes, and biscuits, they are at a higher risk of experiencing dental health problems.
Dental care for children is essential to keep dental problems at bay. You must ensure that your children visit the best kids’ dentist in your area regularly. You can search for keywords like, “best kids dentistry,” “kid’s dentist near me,” or “children dentistry” over the internet while looking for an experienced, competent, and reliable dentist in your city.
Given below are a few things that you must know to ensure you can guide your children toward maintaining healthy teeth.
Your Kid’s Teeth Start to Form When They Are in Womb
It’s important for you to understand that teeth start developing while the child is in their mother’s womb. The first set of teeth starts developing between six months and one year of age. They are called primary or baby teeth, and they are nearly 20 in number. So when the child is in the womb, it’s the responsibility of the mother to consume healthy foods that can help in the proper development of the child, including their teeth.
So a going-to-be mother should increase the intake of dairy products like milk, cheese, and yogurt; veggies such as carrots, celery, spinach, lettuce, and kale; and fruits such as apples and pears. Daily consumption of all these foods can help provide sufficient nutrition to the child.
Children Begin to Lose Baby Teeth Between Age Six or Seven
Babies begin to lose primary teeth when they are six or seven years old. It happens so that the permanent teeth can start forming in their place. In other words, children start losing baby teeth to make room for permanent teeth. It means, at the age of six or seven, permanent teeth start erupting. Only wisdom teeth begin to form later, typically between the ages of 17 and 25.
Dental Care Should Start Early
It’s absolutely essential to take care of a kid’s teeth as early as the first tooth erupts. You should help your child form the habit of brushing their teeth twice a day. Besides, you must ensure that they use fluoride toothpaste because it’s good for the teeth. Regularly flossing the teeth is also essential. When it comes to dental care, you should encourage your children to incorporate healthy eating habits, which are essential to prevent dental problems such as tooth decay.
Regular Dental Visits Are Also Important
Most people fail to understand the significance of visiting a dentist regularly. If you are also one of them, perhaps you should change your attitude towards your dental health. You must understand that, as in the case of any other part of the body, teeth need the utmost care. So it’s important for you to take your children to the dentist when they are just one year old and then pay repeated visits to them every six months.
Early dental visits are essential to detect and address any dental issues early on. Ensure you have dental insurance for your child so they can get the treatment on time. If you are from Concord, NC, or Hickory, NC, you can get your child treated for dental problems at Fresh Dental.
Never Postpone Dental Treatments
If your child is struggling with a dental problem, make sure you get them treated as quickly as possible. You shouldn’t delay the treatment if your child needs a dental crown (to safeguard a weak tooth from decay or restore a broken tooth) or braces to fix crooked or crowded teeth.
Delaying a dental treatment can help progress a dental problem. A dental treatment also prevents further damage and helps your child maintain healthy teeth.
Encourage Your Child to Take Orthodontic Treatment If Needed
If your child has misaligned teeth or jaws, you must encourage them to seek orthodontic treatment to address their dental problem. The term orthodontic comes from orthodontics – a branch of dentistry that deals with conditions like crowding, overlapping and gapped teeth, and other kinds of teeth misalignments.
Misaligned teeth affect the appearance of your child like anything. And if left untreated, they can seriously impact their confidence level. Although orthodontic treatment can be performed at any age – for better results, you should encourage your child to go for it when they are between the ages of 10 and 14.
Educate Your Child on How to Avoid Sports Injuries
If you have a teenage child who is very fond of sports, you must educate them on preventing or avoiding sports injuries that can damage their teeth. Ask them to wear a mouthguard whenever they play a sport that poses the risk of injury to their mouth. Wearing a mouthguard prevents the risk of chipped or knocked-out teeth.
To conclude, if good dental habits are formed early – they can last a lifetime. As a parent, you can play a significant role in helping your child form good dental practices to avoid dental problems.