Posted by Dr. Bill Williams on October 19, 2020 · 2 Comments
We as parents care about our children’s smiles; knowing this, it’s hard to understand all the media attention around the rise in “dental surgeries”. Who are these kids and what’s going on?
The answer will surprise you. We are not looking at neglected children. This is a widespread problem affecting children across demographics. These children range in age from 3 to 6 with multiple baby teeth (as many as 6-10) that contain cavities, and as a result they now require general anesthesia to complete the treatment.
But how is that possible – dental decay is preventable! The problem is that these cavities are forming when our kids are young – they can be caused from sugary, sweet drinks and snacks before bedtime or something as simple as giving your child bottled water instead of tap water because it does not contain fluoride. Dental decay may be easy to prevent, but the signs are also easy to overlook
So what can you do about it:
- Be aware, by checking your children’s teeth looking for white lines in the teeth and dark areas. These are signs of enamel breakdown that turns into decay.
- You should also continue to help your child brush their teeth until the age of at least 7.
- Do not give your young child a bottle of juice or milk at bedtime. The sugars in these drinks will sit on your child’s teeth, bathing them in sugars, ultimately causing decay.
- Lastly get your child comfortable with the dental office. Take them every 6 months for a dental check up in a child friendly dental office.
We just had to have a tooth pulled do to decay for my seven year old and learned A LOT about how important flossing is. Now both my kids brush, floss and use kids mouthwash every night!
So sorry to hear that, Julie, about the tooth having to be removed. Be sure to see that a spacer is placed to keep the space open for the permanent tooth to erupt properly. Teeth collapse into a missing tooth site and cause more crowding if the space is not maintained.