Good Oral Health Starts Early

 

Dental caries (cavities) are the most common infections seen in children. They are easily prevented by practicing good dental hygiene and regular visits to a dentist. Pediatricians Puneet Tung and Lindsay A. Thompson explain to parents how dental cavities form, and how to preserve oral health:

Childhood caries are an infection that happens when mouth bacteria and sugars interact with teeth. Over time, these bacteria create acids from sugars that break down tooth enamel. Protective factors like fluoride can help strengthen teeth after acid exposures. Other preventive measures include avoiding sugary foods and drinks, brushing teeth twice daily, and visiting the dentist regularly.

 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the consequences of dental cavities can be enormous and lifelong:

Oral health is often taken for granted, but it is an essential part of our everyday lives. Good oral health enhances our ability to speak, smile, smell, taste, touch, chew, swallow, and convey our feelings and emotions through facial expressions. However, oral diseases, which range from cavities to oral cancer, cause pain and disability for millions of Americans each year.

 

Parents can get an early handle on good oral hygiene by teaching kids to brush properly using a smear or pea-size squirt of fluoride toothpaste, and the importance of limiting sugary foods and avoiding sugar-sweetened beverages:

When untreated, caries can lead to deeper infections, pain, trouble eating, speaking, learning, and other chronic diseases. However, only 1.5% of all children receive preventive dental care every year. Furthermore, children in low-income households have higher rates of dental caries than children in high-income households. Good oral health starting in childhood lays the foundation for lifelong oral and overall health.

 

Read “What Parents Need to Know About Childhood Oral Health” on JAMA Pediatrics Patient Page here. More information about pediatric dental health can be found on The PediaBlog here.

 

source http://www.thepediablog.com/2021/09/22/good-oral-health-starts-early/