Preventing tooth decay in children is essential for their physical and emotional health. Untreated tooth decay can cause pain and infections that may lead to problems with eating, speaking, playing, socialising and learning. Having fillings, extractions and other dental treatment can be scary for young children and can lead the development of lifelong psychological problems associated with visiting the dentist. The good news is that with the right steps, childhood tooth decay can be avoided completely.
Childhood tooth decay is caused by plaque bacteria in the mouth feeding on sugars and starches from food and drinks. The bacteria produce acids that attack the tooth's enamel. Over time the acids eat away at the enamel, causing tooth decay and small holes known as cavities. Signs of decay include white patches or brown spots on teeth, holes in teeth or broken teeth. Take note if your child starts refusing food, complains of toothache or you notice any swelling. If left untreated, tooth decay can cause pain, infection, and even tooth loss.
Establishing a good daily oral hygiene routine is imperative in preventing tooth decay in children. As soon your child’s teeth peep through, they are ready for tooth brushing to start. Here’s some tips on how to keep children’s teeth clean:
1. Brush your Childs teeth with fluoride toothpaste. Fluoride helps strengthen tooth enamel and prevent childhood tooth decay. Always buy age-appropriate toothpaste unless advised otherwise by your dentist.
2. For children under 3 years old, use a soft toothbrush with a small child sized head. Smear a small amount (about the size of a grain of rice) of fluoride toothpaste across the top of the toothbrush bristles.
3. For children 3 years and older, increase the size of the toothbrush and use a pea-size amount of fluoride toothpaste
4. Adults should help children to brush their teeth until they are around 8 years old and have developed the skills and dexterity to properly brush themselves.
5. Brush twice a day, including once just before bed - this allows the fluoride to keep working while children sleep.
6. Teach your child to spit the toothpaste out. Children should spit, not rinse to avoid washing away the fluoride.
7. Once your child has teeth that touch, encourage them to floss once a day. They may need help sat first.
8. Keep oral hygiene fun and engaging by using character appropriate brushes, encouraging independence, using reward charts and praising your child every time they complete their oral hygiene routine.
9. Link good oral hygiene with healthy play. Practice brushing on dolls, playing dentists, set up dental related activities with playdough, draw pictures for the dentist and read story books about things your child can do to grow healthy, strong teeth.
10. Be a role model. Setting a good example to your children by brushing and flossing our own teeth twice a day and being positive about dental visits can help to instill a good mindset into your child.
Dietary Choices to Prevent Childhood Tooth Decay
Cleaning teeth isn’t a guarantee against tooth decay. Food and drinks also affect your child’s dental health and the development of childhood tooth decay.
Particularly relevant to small children
1. If your child has a dummy, never dip it in food, sugar or syrup.
2. Never allow children to sleep with drinks other than water. Even milk which contains a type of sugar called lactose, if sipped at night can cause childhood tooth decay.
3. Never allow small children to sip juice continuously. Frequent sipping of juices or sugary drinks particularly through bottles or sippy cups can result in rapid decay of the front teeth, a condition known as bottle caries.
Advice for all children
1. Children need a wide variety of healthy foods. Choose food that require crunching like raw vegetables, as the natural chewing of food helps to clean the teeth.
2. Cut down on free sugars. These include all sugars added to food and drinks by the manufacturer such as cakes, biscuits, sweets, processed foods and flavoured yoghurts.
3. Be mindful of so-called healthy foods that have been altered from their original state. Foods like raisins, dried apricots, honey, syrups, fruit juices, purees and smoothies. These can have a very high sugar content. Instead stick to whole fruits and vegetables, plain yoghurt and water.
4. Encourage your child to eat at set mealtimes or snack times instead of allowing your child to ‘graze’. Try to leave 2 hours between food intakes to allow the mouth time to reset.
5. Encourage your child to drink water rather than juice or cordials. Water and milk are the only safe drinks to give children in regard to their oral health. Fruit juices and smoothies should not form part of a young child’s daily diet.
Your child should start seeing a dentist within 6 months of the first tooth coming through OR by their first birthday (whichever comes first). Going at a young age can catch problems early and establish healthy relationships. Visits should continue every 6 and 12 months for the rest of their childhood and not adulthood.
As your child grows, their dental checkup should start to include a visit with the dental hygienist to help develop prevention focussed care. The dental hygienist will spend time checking your child’s home-care regime, making sure the teeth are clean and will offer age-appropriate oral hygiene and diet advice as your child develops. Guided Biofilm Therapy is a child friendly treatment approach which focusses heavily on prevention. It uses a coloured dye to highlight areas requiring the most attention, teaches your child how to clean properly and it uses warm, minimally invasive, pain free airflow to clean the teeth and prevent decay.
Other preventive treatments include fluoride application carried out regularly by the dentist or dental hygienist. There are two main types:
Fluoride varnish. If your child shows early signs of decay or is deemed a high risk for developing it in the future, the dentist may suggest a fluoride treatment - usually in the form of a varnish or gel. This is a dental treatment that can help prevent tooth decay, slow it down, or stop it from getting worse. The varnish is painted on the top and sides of each tooth with a small brush. The procedure is quick, painless and most fluoride varnish comes in child friendly flavours.
Dental Sealants (also called Fissure sealants): For children with molars and premolars that have large grooves, the dentist or dental hygienist can apply a protective plastic coating called a fissure sealant. This coating prevents food and bacteria from getting into the grooves, reducing the risk of tooth decay. Dental sealants can prevent cavities for many years and may stay in place well into adult life.
The good news is that childhood tooth decay is preventable. Eating a healthy diet, keeping teeth clean, going to the dentist regularly and making sure children get enough fluoride are the best ways to prevent tooth decay. Paediatric dental care plays a significant role in prevention-led dentistry and trends are emerging with dental prophylaxis treatments such as Guided Biofilm Therapy coming to the forefront.
