Effective Tooth Care for Children

Children’s teeth will start developing from an early age and it is important to put effective oral care procedures in place as soon as possible. This will help to ensure good dental health for your children and save them a lot of trouble in the future.

Regular Check Ups

Your children will need to see a dentist every 6 months from when they start developing their milk teeth. This will help to ensure the teeth are coming through properly and there are no problems. The dentist can also clean teeth and remove any plaque that could damage the teeth and cause cavities and other problems.

Milk Teeth

Milk teeth start coming through after around six months. Most children will develop all their milk teeth (around 20) by the age of two or three. These teeth will last throughout childhood and will start to fall out from around the age of six to be replaced by adult teeth.

Milk teeth are very vulnerable to staining so try to avoid giving your children any tea or coffee. Some medications such as certain antibiotics can also cause staining and these will not be prescribed to children. A good dental hygiene routine will also prevent staining and other dental health problems.

Adult Teeth

Most adult teeth will have fully developed by the age of 13, followed by wisdom teeth at the back of the mouth by the mid twenties. These are permanent teeth and will not be replaced so it is important for you to ensure your children’s adult teeth are looked after when they come through. If a tooth is chipped or damaged through an accident make an appointment with your dentist as soon as possible. They may be able to fix the damage by simply filing the tooth down.

Tooth Decay

This is the number one cause of damage to children’s teeth and is the result of a bad diet and poor dental hygiene. This allows bacteria to build up on the teeth that forms a sticky layer called plaque. This attacks the teeth causing damage to the strong enamel coating and this in turn causes cavities. This decay can be prevented by regular brushing and check ups at the dentist. Fizzy drinks, sweet foods and fruit juices can erode the teeth more quickly so these should be ingested in moderation. Plaque can also cause gum disease and this will need to be treated by a dentist.

If your child complains of toothache then it is important to take them to a dentist as soon as possible. If left untreated toothache can develop into a more serious problem such as severe gum disease or a tooth abscess and this will be more difficult to treat.