February is Children’s Dental Health Month! Here are 5 Ways to Keep Kids’ Teeth Healthy

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Children are well known for their addiction to sugary snacks. Many kids frequently eat candy, juice, and soda, to name a few.

Regretfully, serious oral health issues are being caused by these practices. More and more young children—many of them less than three years old—are visiting dentists for invasive dental surgery as a result of tooth decay. Since February is National Children’s Dental Health Month, now is the ideal time to discuss ways to give kids a healthy smile they can maintain for the rest of their lives.

  1. Reduce your intake of soda, juice, and sports drinks. One of the main causes of dental decay in youngsters is sugar-filled beverages. Many children consume these drinks throughout the day, which coats their mouths with sugar as they sip. Although it takes time to quit the habit, it is possible. Swap one sugary beverage every day with skim milk or water. Juice should be diluted with 50% water, and only sugar-free juices should be used. Add cucumber slices or mint leaves to flavored water or frozen or fresh berries.
  2. Avoid sleeping with bottles. Your youngster can develop the habit of using a bottle to fall asleep, which might cause oral issues in the future. Feed your kid before bedtime or use water in the midnight bottle instead of milk or juice to gradually wean him off it.
  3. Watch out for chewy foods. This includes nutritious choices such as gummy vitamins, the apparent gummy candy, and dried fruits. These foods cause cavities because they adhere to the teeth over time. Have youngsters eat fresh fruits like apples and strawberries as a snack whenever feasible, and search for kid-friendly vitamins that have been sweetened with xylitol. Pick some fruit with whipped cream, a scoop of frozen yogurt, or a piece of chocolate when they have a sweet treat.
  4. Brushing should begin early. There are toothbrushes for infants, young children, and older kids. A moist washcloth can be used to clean an infant’s teeth. When toddlers have a few teeth, they can begin brushing with a toothbrush and water (with your assistance). Children should begin using fluoride toothpaste twice a day at three. Until they are seven, watch over your child’s brushing to make sure they’re cleaning everything.
  5. The sooner you take your youngster to the dentist, the better. To maintain your children’s oral health, your dentist at Scruggs Dental in Shreveport can assist you in identifying issues early on. They could observe weak locations requiring further care to avoid cavities or areas not being brushed completely, which is a typical issue with kids. Your child’s dentist can also provide fluoride treatments and other preventative care, which could spare them from needing invasive operations like fillings later.

Your dentist at Scruggs Dental in Shreveport is your family’s first champion for dental health, beginning with the little ones. Childhood oral health contributes to lifetime beautiful smiles. Please make an appointment for your kids’ dental care at Scruggs Family Dentistry in Shreveport by calling them. It can be among the finest things you do for their well-being!