what can we do to the teeth of our children ?

Hi! Kids are really of fond of eating sweets. But if we try to take chocolates and candies away from them, it is actually like taking away their childhood. So what can you do? You can give this kind of food immediately after eating meals as a dessert and not in between meals. During meals is the time when the salivary glands are most active. they secrete a lot of saliva that can wash away significant amount of sugar and saliva actually serves as a buffer in order to neutralize the oral environment when it becomes quite acidic inducing remineralization of the teeth instead of demineralization and decalcification which can further lead to caries and cavitation. Also after eating, make sure that the child's oral cavity will be cleaned very well. At early age, clean their teeth, but as they become toddlers, train them and guide them in brushing their teeth. In that way, the thoroughness of cleaning can be assured. Toothbrush with soft bristles and small head with a pea-sized amount of toothpaste is good. Never let the child/baby take in milk during sleep like other mothers do. They let their children drink milk in a bottle to put them to sleep. The bottle stays there during the entire period that the child is sleeping. That is actually bad since milk has simple sugars (sucrose / lacatose) that the mouth bacteria need to thrive and to metabolize. This is the usual cause of rampant early-age caries in addition to neglect of oral hygiene measures and is usually referred to as "feeding bottle caries". Another thing I would like to mention is the importance of regular dental visits. Make sure that your child visits the dentist at least every 6 months. It is not good that they go to the dentist only when there are symptoms that are felt, let's say there is already cavitation and pain. Regular dental visit is important for proper dental education, early detection of dental problems and early correction, and prevention. Always remember that prevention is better than cure, isn't it? Regular dental visits can also train the child to get used to having appointments with the dentist and should prevent the development of phobia against dentists. Dentists, dental procedure and needles should never be used as a motivation or threat in a form of blackmail in order to make the child behave well or be obedient as this may cause the development of unnecessary and destructive fear for dentists. Hope this helps!

Of course, the best thing is to avoid giving them sweets or at least have them brush their teeth everytime they finish eating sweets. Give them cow's milk to sustain enough calcium in their teeth and bones as well. Give them soft brushes. Some dentists say that improper use of milk bottles or pacifiers may cause dental problem. We may not know of it but baby's milk may contain sugar and if it stays in the mouth for more than 20 minutes it can cause dental damage. Also monitor the type of snacks that you provide your children. It is always best to give them fresh fruits and make sure they drink lots of water. You may want to visit this site for more information. http://www.dentalcareforkids.com/info_for_parents.html#oralhealth