How to Help Your Kids Be Cavity Free

Good oral health is important to instill in your kids at a young age. Keeping your children’s teeth cavity free can be a tough job. Kids eat a lot of sugar whether you know about it or not. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry estimates that about fifty percent of school-age children in the U.S.today have never had a cavity! Here are four simple ways to help your child be cavity free.

Supervision: Until your child is ten years old, parents should supervise brushing after meals, and before bed. Brushing with a soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste is the best for kids at this age. Flossing is a key component to healthy, cavity free teeth. Encourage your child to floss daily and perhaps cut back on sugary snacks. With babies and toddlers, start brushing once or twice a day and use a pea sized drop of non-fluoridated toothpaste until the age of four.

Fluoride: Fluoride can help prevent tooth decay and can even cure early-stage cavities! Talk to your dentist about fluoride that is healthy for your children and about fluoride treatments and mouth rinses. This isn’t recommended for young toddlers, but talk to your dentist for other healthy alternatives!

Sports Protection: Mouth guards are highly recommended and even required to use wile playing any physical sport with a risk of falls or heads injuries. Mouth guards are excellent ways to protect your child’s teeth. Mouth guards help prevent about 200,000 injuries a year.

Regular Checkups: Visiting your dentist is the easiest and best way to help protect your children’s teeth. Your dentist can remove plaque, monitor changes in your child’s oral health and suggest corrective or preventative measures.