Caring for Children’s Teeth

Oral health care for children is very important to the proper development of strong, healthy teeth. It takes time for children to learn how to take care of their own teeth. They need to be taught how to brush and floss. They also need to learn about how the foods they eat can affect their dental health.

We can help you educate your children on what they need to know about good oral hygiene. Strong, healthy teeth and gums contribute to overall well being of adults and children alike.

If you are looking for a South Surrey Children’s Dentist, we are dedicated to providing top notch dental care for your children.

Cleaning Children’s Teeth and Gums

Children are not ready to care for their own teeth until the age when they are learning to read and write. Until then parents can assist them to ensure that brushing and flossing is being done correctly. Dental hygiene begins during infancy with parents doing the cleaning themselves. As children get older they can be taught to clean their own teeth and gums.

How to Use a Toothbrush

Proper dental brushing technique is very important. It ensures that the teeth and gums are properly cleaned. This will help to prevent serious dental issues. It will also promote strong, healthy teeth, and better overall health.

Toothbrushes

The best type of toothbrush is soft with rounded bristles. Toothbrushes for children are smaller than adult brushes. It is important to get the right size toothbrush for your child. Children can be hard on their toothbrushes. You will need to buy a new one every 3 or 4 months. A toothbrush with bent or worn bristles will not clean properly and can damage teeth and gums.

Toothpaste

It is very important that the toothpaste you choose has fluoride in it. Check the label and make sure it carries the Canadian Dental Association symbol on it. That symbol ensures that the toothpaste contains fluoride.

Use only a small amount of toothpaste and make sure your child does not swallow too much of it. Children under 6 should be supervised closely while taking care of their teeth and gums.

Children Under 3 should have their teeth brushed by an adult. Parents should consult their medical professional to determine the risk of the child developing tooth decay. If it is determined that a risk exists, then a very small amount of toothpaste (about the size of a grain of rice) can be used to gently brush the teeth and gums. If the child is not at risk of tooth decay, then a soft brush moistened with water should be used.

For children between the ages of 3 and 6 years, a small amount of fluoride toothpaste may be used. The amount of toothpaste should be similar to the size of a green pea.

How To Floss Children’s Teeth

Use a piece of dental floss similar in length to your child’s arm. Wrap the floss around your middle fingers leaving approximately 2-3 inches of length between the fingers. Use your index finger to gently guide the dental floss between your child’s teeth. Make sure the dental floss hugs the edges of the teeth by making a ‘C’ shape with it. It should wrap around the base of the tooth where it meets the gum. Gently wipe the tooth 2 or 3 times (or more) from bottom to top until it is clean. Be sure to do both sides of each tooth. Be sure to do the backs of the last molar as well. Move the dental floss on your fingers so that a fresh section of it is used for each tooth. Be sure not to press too hard.

Brushing Teeth at Bed Time

It is very important to brush the teeth before going to bed. This will remove any particles, germs, and bacteria that can promote tooth decay. During sleep time our bodies produce less saliva which helps to keep the mouth clean. This makes it very important to ensure that the mouth is as clean as possible for the night’s sleep.

Nutrition for Healthy Teeth in Children

When your child takes in sugars, those sugars mix with the saliva in the mouth. The result is a mild acid that can eat away at the outer layer, or enamel of the teeth. This can cause holes, or cavities to form. It can also cause other forms of tooth decay and gum diseases.

The same is true for both refined (white & brown sugars for example) and naturally occurring sugars. Many healthy foods contain naturally occurring sugar. Milk contains naturally occurring sugar. The damage caused by sugars is dependant on how much sugar is taken in, and how long it remains in the mouth.

When a small child is given a bottle of milk at bed time, that milk will stay in the mouth for a long time. Because milk contains sugar, it will form that mild acid that can lead to tooth decay and gum problems. Unsweetened juice may not have sugar added to it, but the fruit used to make it does contain sugars. When children are drinking fruit juice between meals the teeth are being coated with sugars over and over again.

Water is the best choice for between-meal drinks.

Starchy snacks such as teething biscuits break down to form sugars. Again, those sugars left in the mouth can lead to tooth decay. Children need a variety of foods to be healthy. While we can reduce the amount of sugar that is taken in, it is very important that the teeth and gums are cleaned properly.

Read the Nutritional Labels on Food Products.

By law, ingredients on packaged food must be listed by weight. As a general rule of thumb, if sugars are listed first then that food likely contains mostly sugars. Some sugars you can look for on labels are:

Some medicines such as cough syrup may contain sugar. You can ask your doctor or pharmacist to recommend medicines that are sugar free.

Nutritious Snacks for Good Dental Health

Growing children like to snack. Their growing bodies require snacks. It helps to make healthy choices when serving snacks.

Limit the number of times per day your child has sugary snacks and drinks. If they are constantly sipping fruit juice throughout the day, they are constantly coating their teeth with sugar. Water is the best choice for between-meal drinks.

Stay away from high-sugar foods that stay in the mouth for long periods. This includes sweetened gum, lollipops, hard candies etc. Also avoid soft, sticky foods such as raisins, toffee, and rolled up fruit snacks and fruit leather.

To encourage healthy snacking keep the good snacks where your child can get them. Carrot sticks, cheese cubes, and other healthy foods can be made available on the lower shelf in the fridge. Small boxes of healthy cereal or small packs of nuts or seeds can be kept in low cupboards (providing they are safe for your child). Some small fruits and vegetables can be stored in cupboards as well.

The best way to keep your child from asking for sweets is to not have them in the house. Children will almost always want the sugary snacks if they know they are available. If you do serve sweets, try to limit them to meal times.

Regular Dental Check-ups

There is much that parents can do to promote healthy teeth and gums in their children. One of the most important is regular check-ups and cleaning performed by your dentist. Avoiding problems caused by tooth decay requires that the problems be detected and treated early. Only your dentist can do this.

Be sure to ask your dentist to schedule regular check-ups for your child and yourself. Leading by example can reinforce the need for check-ups and make your child more comfortable with a trip to the dentist.

Contact us for more information about our South Surrey Children’s Dentist Services.