Dental Health & Hygiene for Young Children

by Dr. Shipra Rawal ( Dr. Rawal Dental Centre )

Healthy teeth are important to your child’s overall health. They help your child eat and talk. Strong oral care helps set good dental habits as your child grows. Poor oral care can lead to infection, disease, or other teeth problems.

Dental Problems in Children

Dental caries is a public health problem in India with a prevalence as high as 60-80% in Indian children (1). a figure far more than asthma (2). Apart from this, about 30% of children suffer from misaligned teeth and jaws (3) affecting proper functioning of the dento-facial apparatus. Lack of awareness about dental diseases has resulted in gross neglect of oral health. There is no component of oral health in the present health care system. The grass-root level health workers and doctors do not have adequate knowledge about oral hygiene and prevention of dental problems. All the above factors have resulted in poor dental health of our population.Dental caries (tooth decay), gum diseases, malocclusion of teeth and oral cancers are major health problems in our country. Although these may not be life threatening, yet they cause lot of morbidity, psychological stress and their treatment is expensive. However, they can be prevented and controlled to a large extent by public education and motivation.

As you might guess, the number-one dental problem among pre-schoolers is tooth decay.

• One out of 10 two- year-olds already have one or more cavities

• By age three, 28% of children have one or more cavities

• By age five, nearly 50% of children have one or more cavities

Many parents assume that cavities in baby teeth don't matter, because they'll be lost anyway. But that's not true. Dental decay in baby teeth can negatively affect permanent teeth and lead to bringing future dental problems. “I advise that a child should go to the dentist by age 1 or within six months after the first tooth erupts.” Dr. Shipra Rawal.

Dr Rawal Dental Centre recommends the following pointers for healthy teeth in children:

• Before the teeth erupt, clean the baby’s mouth and gums with a soft cloth or infant toothbrush at bath time. This helps ready the baby for the teeth cleaning to come.

• When the teeth erupt, clean the child’s teeth at least twice a day with a toothbrush designed for small children.

• Take the baby to see a pediatric dentist by the baby’s first birthday. The earlier the visit, the better. It is important to establish a dental home to ensure that the child’s oral health care is delivered in a comprehensive, ongoing, accessible, coordinated and family centered way by the dentist.

• If the baby is placed to sleep with a bottle, use nothing but water. When a child is given a bottle containing sugary liquids such as milk, formula or fruit juice, the teeth are under attack by bacterial acid for extended periods. This can cause cavities in babies called “early childhood caries,” formerly known as baby bottle tooth decay.

• Breast-feeding has been shown to be beneficial for a baby’s health and development. However, if the child prefers to be breast-fed often or for long periods once a tooth appears and other foods/beverages have been introduced into her diet, she is at risk for severe tooth decay. Clean the baby's mouth with a wet washcloth after breast-feeding, and encourage a bottle with plain water during the night time.

• Never dip a pacifier in anything sweet; it can lead to serious tooth decay.

Oral hygiene in children

The best way to protect your child's teeth is to teach them good dental habits. We at Dr. Rawal Dental Centre always suggest the parents for proper coaching of oral hygiene. Children quickly adopt good oral hygiene as a part of their daily routine, if they are taught at an early age. However, while he/she may be an enthusiastic participant, he/she won't yet have the control or concentration to brush his/her teeth all by themselves. You'll need to supervise and help them so that the brush removes all the plaque—the soft, sticky, bacteria- containing deposits that accumulate on the teeth, causing tooth decay. Also, keep an eye out for areas of brown or white spots which might be signs of early decay.

Here are Dr Rawal’s three-pointer rule for healthy teeth:-

Brushing and flossing

Dental hygiene should begin when your child is a baby. Start using a soft child-size toothbrush around the age of 1 or 2. You should brush your child’s teeth with water at least twice a day. You also can add a small dab of toothpaste that doesn’t have fluoride in it. This type of toothpaste is safe for your child to swallow. Once your child is old enough to spit out the toothpaste, you can switch to one that has fluoride. Only use a small amount. Teach your child to spread it among their teeth, gums, and tongue. Have your doctor or dentist show you the right way to brush your child’s teeth.Your child likely will need help brushing their teeth until they are 7 or 8 years old. Around this time, they can start using a larger sized toothbrush. You should switch out toothbrushes every 3 to 6 months or when the bristles look worn. Children should brush their teeth for 2 minutes.You should also teach your child to brush his or her tongue. This helps reduce the amount of bacteria in the mouth. Be sure that your child knows to brush his or her teeth before bed, after all eating and drinking (except water) is done.

Diet

Besides regular tooth brushing with the right amount of fluoride toothpaste, your child's diet will play a key role in his dental health. And, of course, sugar is the big villain. The longer and more frequently his teeth are exposed to sugar, the greater the risk of cavities. "Sticky sugar" foods such as sticky caramel, toffee, gum, and dried fruit— particularly when it stays in his mouth and bathes his teeth in sugar for hours—could do serious damage. Make sure to always brush your child's teeth after a sugary food item. In addition, do not allow your child to have any sugar-containing liquid in a Sippy cup for a prolonged period.

Dental Check-up

During regular well-child visits, the pediatrician will check your child's teeth and gums to ensure their health. If she notices problems, she may refer your child to a pediatric dentist (pedodontist) or a general dentist with an interest in treating the dental needs of children.

Kid’s Oral Health Tips for Parents

• Brush your Teeth Together. Leading by example goes a long way. Make brushing teeth together in the morning and night time part of your routine. This encourages your child to look forward to brushing with you, and they get to be like one of their favorite people!

• Incentivize Brushing with Rewards. If your child is reluctant to brush, you may be able to offer a reward that encourages brushing, some families even find success when using a star chart or other reward system.

• Set a Timer. A two-minute timer will help your child know when they can stop brushing and keep them accountable. You can also challenge your child to see if they can brush for the whole two minutes without stopping.

• Tasty Flavors + Fun Dental Products. A lot of kids respond well to toothbrushes with their favorite character on it, or flavored toothpaste or mouthwashes. It can help make toothbrushing something fun and exciting to look forward to.

• Kids laugh around 400 times a day, adults just 15 times a day.

• Kids in prehistoric times likely did not suffer from tooth decay. The American Dental Association says this is because sugar was not a part of their diet.

• Tooth enamel is the strongest substance in the human body; because it's so durable, healthy tooth enamel protects teeth from cavity-causing oral bacteria.

• The modern toothbrush was not developed until the 1700s.

• Egyptians even brushed their teeth using a powdery substance made from crushed eggshells and oxen hooves. Using these ingredients in powder form and mixing with water formed an abrasive that may have been an effective means of removing remnants left by food.

• The most valuable tooth belonged to Sir Isaac Newton. In 1816 one of his teeth was sold in London for $3,633, or in today's terms $35,700. The tooth was set in a ring!

Share a few of these facts with your child the next time they brush and make brushing together more enjoyable. They'll really impress their teachers in class the next day!

~ Dr. Shipra Rawal