3 Mistakes Parents Make with Oral Health

3 Mistakes Parents Make with their Childrens’ Oral Health

Making the first dentist appointment too lateYour child’s first visit to the dentist should be when that first tooth makes a bright appearance. After that your child should visit your dentist every 6 months. Experts often see a common lack of visiting the dentist due to anesthesia needs while treating cavities. Poor dental hygiene and maintenance of your child’s teeth can radically impact their oral development in a big negative way.
Loading up on sports drinksWe all love them, but they are terrible for your teeth. A common cause of tooth decay and cavities are soda and sport drinks that are loaded with sugars and/or acids. When you sink your teeth in that strong acidic drink throughout the day your teeth never have a chance to heal and re-balance the pH. You may find it difficult to take out all soda drinks all together but it is highly important as your child’s teeth develop to control the amount of sugary drinks they consume as you help them maintain good oral hygiene. It’s also important for you to cut back on the soda and sports you may consume as part of a orally healthy routine.
Putting your baby to bed with a bottleDid you know that an easy way to cause tooth decay in young children is sending them to bed with the bottle filled with juice, soda, or a sports drink! According to a survey by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, 85% of parents said it wasn’t a good idea to put their babies to bed with a bottle of milk or juice, yet 20% did it anyway. The real issue here is the prolonged periods of time sugar, acids or starches are remaining on an infant’s teeth. Additional studies have shown that it also elevates bacteria levels in the mouth. This is an easy routine to change, and should be done sooner than later.

Posted on Feb 1, 2015

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