How a Pediatric Dentist Can Help Prevent Early Dental Problems

It is important for everyone to see a dentist and that includes even young children. Everyone eats and the residue left on the teeth after a meal, even breast milk and formula, can cause plaque build up on the teeth, which results in decay, so having a pediatric dentist examine the teeth early can help prevent this build up.

It is highly recommended by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry that pregnant women get regular dental check ups because research has shown that if you have any periodontal disease while pregnant you risk having a preterm baby. You could also pass the cavity producing bacteria on to the new baby.

There are several ways that you can avoid periodontal disease and the most important one is that you visit your dentist on a regular basis. Other ways are to brush and floss daily, maintain a proper diet by reducing the amount of sugar and carbs that you take in, use a toothpaste with fluoride, and avoid sharing eating utensils with your child.

Once your baby is born, there are several ways that a pediatric dentist recommends to help prevent tooth decay in their mouth. One of these is referred to as baby bottle tooth decay and that can be avoided by not allowing the baby to go to bed with a bottle because throughout the night the liquid pools in the baby's mouth which allows the bacteria to grow faster. Another thing you should do to avoid the plaque build up is to wipe out the baby's mouth with a washcloth after every meal..

Another way that you can avoid tooth decay in your baby's mouth is to feed him a healthy diet that is comprised of the five major food groups. Having a healthy diet will help your baby's bones, teeth, and mouth to develop properly. The more often the child eats, the higher possibility there will be that there will be some tooth decay. You should also make sure that your children wear mouth guards when they are participating in sports.

Some things that a pediatric dentist can do to help prevent cavities is to put sealant on the teeth to keep the plaque from forming in the deep crevices in the teeth, usually the molars. This is usually performed on children who have gotten all their permanent teeth in. You can also discuss the use of fluoride and fluoride treatments with your pediatric dentist to help strengthen the enamel.

Because you want the best for your children, getting them the best dental care from a pediatric dentist will help them learn good mouth hygiene habits from an early age.

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