New season, new episode, new us, Mummies! Today’s topic is Children’s Oral Care!
There are plenty of misconceptions around children’s dental care; like if you don’t eat candy, is it true that you won’t experience cavities and etc.
We are very fortunate to have Dr. Afiqah from Dentalyst Dental Clinic, Cyberjaya with us today. Dr Afiqah is also a mother to a beautiful girl, so she is here to clear up the misconceptions that we all have about dental care!
Without further ado, let’s get to the myths, shall we?
Myth 1: Sugary foods are only harmful when consumed in large quantities.
Dr. Afiqah: Actually it’s not true. Sugary foods; when taken in small quantities can also cause cavities especially when the teeth are left unbrushed.
Our teeth have fissures and grooves which can have food residues that will not be easy to clean.
These food residues will react with bacteria and form plaque. These plaque; if not removed with tooth brushing will build up and actually corrode the tooth surface. In this situation, parents can play a role by trying out these tips:
Tips for Parents to Care for Their Children’s Dental Health
- Reduce your child’s snacking time
- Avoid giving sticky food
- Replace milk with plain water
- Make sure they brush their teeth twice daily with fluoridated toothpaste
There are a lot of different kinds of toothpaste out there, and especially there is organic, fluoride — Could you elaborate more?
Dr. Afiqah: Fluoridated toothpaste is a toothpaste that contains fluoride. Fluoride is a substance that can strengthen your teeth.
So, is it harmful for babies? What is the appropriate age group for fluoride when it comes to this?
Dr. Afiqah: So, depending on the child’s age, below two years old, actually you can smear only a little bit of toothpaste. And above two years old, you can put like a pea-sized amount of toothpaste on the toothbrush itself.
Myth 2: Tooth cavities in milk teeth are not that bad.
Dr. Afiqah: No, actually cavities in milk teeth can be very bad. Tooth cavity is caused by an acid attack released by a bacteria. When the bacteria is reacting with food residue on the tooth, it will form a plaque.
And then when the infection from the tooth itself, it can go down to the root and cause a dental abscess.
In this situation, when the child is having dental abscess, the child might have the condition called:
That’s why dental caries in baby teeth must be treated with fillings or removed if badly decayed to prevent the spread of infection.
Myth 3: Dentistry for children is not important until the permanent teeth set in.
Dr. Afiqah: Actually baby teeth do matter as well as our permanent teeth.
We believe that bringing your child as early as the first tooth has erupted to a dental clinic for a dental check is really important because we want them to be familiarised with the set up and with the people in the clinic.
When you bring your children to the dental clinic when there’s only a dental emergency, usually it might require some operative treatments or emergency tooth extraction.
Of course, it will give them a traumatic experience for the first time in a dental clinic.
Thus, parents should bring their children as early as possible; since young. So that, doctors will be able to monitor their teeth development and also detect if there are any early caries.
Myth 4: Baby teeth don’t need to be brushed often and they don’t matter because they will fall out anyway.
Dr. Afiqah: Well I’m afraid that’s not true! Baby teeth are as important as our permanent teeth.
Why? Because they are very important for our child’s well-being.
Here Are The 4 Reasons Why
#1 For Proper Nutrition
Our child needs their teeth to chew the food. If they have dental pain caused by tooth cavities, of course, they will refuse to eat and they won’t be able to chew properly. The infection from the tooth itself can become more serious.
#2 For Tooth Position And Alignment
The permanent teeth are erupting in their places. So, once the baby teeth are lost earlier than they should be, it will start to drift or tilt to the missing spot.
#3 For Healthy Permanent Teeth
As you want to know, the permanent teeth are growing underneath the baby teeth. Once there’s an infection, it can go down to the roots and affect the permanent teeth development.
#4 For Speech And Self-esteem
Of course, our baby needs their teeth to speak and pronounce words correctly. On the other hand, if there’s badly decayed teeth; they will feel shy and lack of confidence to speak with others.
When you think about kids having their teeth and their milk teeth are eventually come out, to be honest it starts of with their confidence when they look good, they feel better about themselves.
What would be the recommended amount of time that we should brush in a day?
Dr. Afiqah: Once a day is good but the best is two times a day at least.
When would be the appropriate time to brush? What would be the best way to brush their teeth?
Dr. Afiqah: Of course, the timing would be early in the morning, when they wake up and also before bed.
Myth 5: My kids don’t eat candy, so they won’t get cavities.
Dr. Afiqah: Actually not eating candy doesn’t mean your child won’t get cavities at all. Cavity can happen if there are four things present and they are:
- The first one is the tooth itself
- The second one is bacteria
- The third one is sugar
- The last one is time
Other foods such as carbohydrates can produce sugar. When it’s reacting with this bacteria and saliva, it can produce plaque.
As time goes by, if the plaque is not removed from the tooth surface, it can cause cavities.
That’s why it is very advisable to brush their teeth two times a day with fluoridated toothpaste. Because it has a substance that can neutralize the acid produced thus protecting the tooth surface from cavity.
I would assume that the fluoride creates a protective barrier over the teeth for the kids, is it? Is that true?
Dr. Afiqah: Yeah, true!
Tips From Dr Afiqah
If you are planning to bring your child to the dentist for the first time, make sure you plan your visit well. It’s better to go early in the morning after breakfast, so they are feeling fresh and energetic.
- #1: Go early in the morning
- #2: Don’t forget their favourite toy! Tell them what they will see and what they are going to expect from the visit, and how the room will look like.
- #3: Tell them what they will see and what to expect And also you can practise at home. Practicing to open their mouth and try checking their teeth.
- #4: Practice open the mouth and checking at home. Try not to scare them with any stories or jokes about dentists for example; if you don’t sit on the dental chair, the dentist will pull out your teeth.
- #5: Don’t scare them with any jokes or unrealistic stories
- #6: Prepare questions for the dentist about your child’s oral health
Well Mummies, Dr. Afiqah has shared a bundle of information and advice on dental care for your little ones. Remember, baby teeth are just as important as adult teeth! Hope this information will help the first time parents to add to their dental care knowledge!
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as medical advice from Motherhood. For any health-related concerns, it is advisable to consult with a qualified healthcare professional or medical practitioner.
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