How to stop tooth decay in children with Dr Trishala
We are facing a child tooth decay epidemic. Almost two thirds of children in the UK have rotten teeth, with more than 70 a day having teeth removed. But what has caused this huge rise in tooth decay? Dentist Dr Trishala says it’s not just the dental booking backlog to blame, but mainly bad diets and poor brushing habits.
She’s here to help you keep tooth decay at bay once and highlights the three key factors for tooth decay prevention; seeing your dentist, oral hygiene and the diet:
Seeing your dentist
How important is to regularly see your dentist?
Dentists are able to spot the early stages of tooth decay which might not be noticed until it is too late, therefore regular check ups are important.
Children can form negative connotations around visiting the dentist, how can we prevent this?
It has been proven in studies that children associate the dentist with a bad experience, but it shouldn't have to be this way.
Encourage parents to bring their children to the dentist from a young age so that they can get used to the environment
It starts with the parents, if they are already associating the dentist with a scary place, where bad things happen, then these thoughts will be shared with their children.
Oral hygiene
You can start brushing a baby's teeth as soon as they start to come through with a baby toothbrush and a tiny bit of fluoride toothpaste. The important thing while children are young is to get them used to brushing their teeth rather than brushing for a certain period of time. Brushing your own teeth at the same time can help set a good example.
How can we make teeth brushing an enjoyable experience for children?
It can be a challenge to make sure teeth are brushed regularly, so it's important to make children feel comfortable, and use positive reinforcement, so that negativity isn't associated with teeth brushing and dental hygiene. Dr Trishala has several suggestions:
Let children have control, take them to choose a toothbrush themselves
Brush your teeth together
Put on your children's favourite song, have a sing song as they brush their teeth
Diet
What food culprits should we avoid giving to children?
Sugar causes tooth decay. It's not just about the amount of sugar in sweet food and drinks, but how long and how often the teeth are in contact with sugar. The acid in drinks like fruit juice and squash can be harmful to teeth.
Dr Trishala says: "I'm going to bust a few myths, especially with Easter weekend. Have that chocolate, dentists aren't evil and you can have those treats. But ideally they should be consumed straight after lunch or dinner. For snacks between meals, fruits are great. Timing is the main factor though, try to avoid anything sticky at night time because there is less saliva to break it down.