Your child’s first set of baby teeth are just as important as their adult teeth. They allow your child to chew and speak properly, and also reserve the space for the eruption of their adult teeth, which can prevent future crowding. The baby first molars ideally need to be maintained until your child is between the ages of 11 to 13 years old.
Daily care is a must for your child’s teeth to ensure they are not lost early due to tooth decay.
Early childhood caries is not uncommon amongst Australian children. The main ways we may inadvertently place our children at risk of dental decay are:
· Settling the baby to sleep with a bottle of milk or sweet flavoured milk, cordial, soft drink or fruit juice. Bacteria feed on the sugar in these drinks and form sticky plaque. Plaque secretes acid into tooth enamel and causes tooth decay.
· A high sugar diet with frequent snacking
· Lack of good brushing and flossing
· Placing sweet substances such as honey on a dummy
· “On Demand” breast feeding
The risk of your child having dental decay can be reduced by:
· Thorough daily brushing and flossing
· A balanced diet and good nutrition
· Use of fluoride toothpastes
· Drinking (fluoridated) tap water
· Regular visits to the dentist/therapist for check ups and cleans
At Concord Dental Practice, our team of dental professionals will carry out a thorough, comprehensive examination of your child’s teeth to identify any risks that may lead to tooth decay and establish the existence of any decay present in the teeth. We strongly believe in prevention and will spend time with you and your child to teach good cleaning and eating habits. Call us on 9743 4001 to book an appointment today.