As a family dentist, we focus on preventative oral health care and work to keep our patients cavity free. With kids, this is particularly important because a toothache is difficult to deal with, and no child wants to undergo a major dental procedure. By protecting and strengthening teeth, we can prevent many oral infections so that children can live pain-free.
There are several ways to protect your children from getting tooth decay but first it is important to note that it can happen at any time. Many parents make the mistake of thinking that babies and toddlers are not susceptible to tooth decay. In reality, it is incredibly common for young ones to develop cavities. When they do, it is commonly referred to as baby bottle tooth decay because the biggest risk factor is letting children take a bottle to bed with milk or juice in it. As the sugar from the drinks sits on the teeth, it can lead to infection.
We recommend that parents start to take care of their kids' teeth before they ever start coming in. With babies, you can use a washrag to wipe away sugar from the gums and as they get older, brushing and flossing should be a normal routine in both the morning and evening. Whenever you brush your teeth – brush theirs. This is an essential step in preventing tooth decay and as a family dentist we must stress the importance of creating a good oral health routine when your kids are young.
Other than brushing and flossing, make sure to feed your children a healthy diet that contains crunchy fruits and vegetables, nuts, dairy, lean protein and green leafy vegetables in order to strengthen their teeth. Additionally, regular trips to the dentist are important for keeping teeth cavity free. We can remove the plaque and bacteria that you can’t get to at home. We can also apply a fluoride treatment that has been known to prevent cavities.
If, during one of these dental exams, we identify signs of tooth decay, we will let you know and discuss a treatment plan. Depending on how old they are, we will make a recommendation to treat it immediately or wait a few months. At our office, Dr. Rado practices gentle and kind dentistry and can provide treatment in a way that is not scary or intimidating for children. She can even provide various forms of pain relief or sedation. This can be incredibly important when working with children since they have a difficult time sitting still and any discomfort would only make it worst.
After years of experience as a family dentist, Dr. Rado is an expert at providing dental care and treating children in a way that gets the job done while keeping them comfortable. If your child is complaining of a toothache, call and schedule your appointment so that we can examine them right away and set a course for treatment.
