Diet is the first line of defense for good dental care; between meal snacks and highly sugared foods contribute to decay. Frequent brushing s remove the plaque that leads to decay. Brushing after snacks, even healthful ones like raisins or fruit juice, is particularly important. Toddlers and preschoolers, however enthusiastic, need help with tooth brushing; the manual dexterity necessary to thoroughly clean every surface of every tooth doesn’t develop until the age of six or seven. To show where plaque collects on your child’s teeth and where decay can start, put a drop of food coloring on a cotton swab, and rub it around the teeth and gums. The remaining stains will indicate where to clean.
Dentists recommend that your child’s routine dental exams should begin when two or three teeth are in. Some parents take their children to their regular family dentists; others prefer pedodontists, who are specially trained to deal with the anxieties and emotions of youngsters. It is as important for a dentist to watch the shape of a child’s mouth and to check the child’s bite as it is to check for cavities.
Dentists recommend that your child’s routine dental exams should begin when two or three teeth are in. Some parents take their children to their regular family dentists; others prefer pedodontists, who are specially trained to deal with the anxieties and emotions of youngsters. It is as important for a dentist to watch the shape of a child’s mouth and to check the child’s bite as it is to check for cavities.