4 Facts Every Parent Should Know About Their Child’s Dental Health

As a parent, you want to do everything you can to make sure your child’s smile remains healthy and beautiful, right? You remain diligent when it comes to their oral hygiene and swap out sugary snacks for healthier treats, but could you be missing some details about children’s dentistry in Phillipsburg? Here are 4 facts you should know that may just change the way you care for your child’s oral health.

Candy Isn’t the Only Cause for Cavities

While candy is certainly one of the worst things your child can eat, especially if you want to avoid potential cavities, it isn’t the only culprit that can harm their smile. Starchy foods are just as guilty of causing decay. Crackers, bread, cookies, and even pasta are full of carbohydrates that are consumed by harmful bacteria. As it grows and spreads, the acids can break down tooth enamel, resulting in cavity formation. If your child is going to eat anything starchy, it’s best to have them brush their teeth once they’re done.

Cavities Can Hinder Your Child’s Academic Performance

It is believed that 51 million school hours are lost annually as a result of children experiencing dental issues. When cavities form, it requires a visit to the dentist’s office for a filling, dental crown, pulp therapy, or even tooth extraction depending on the severity. Not only does this lead to time spent outside of school, but the longer your child waits to seek help, the more classroom instruction they’ll miss. This is especially true if they need to recover from a more complex procedure. It’s also common for little ones with poor oral health to feel self-conscious, causing their social interactions and academic performance to decline.

Sports Are a Main Cause of Dental Accidents

If you have a child who enjoys playing sports, it’s vital that you have a customized mouthguard created before the start of the season. Watching and cheering them on from the sidelines can be much easier when you know they’re fully protected on the court, track, or field. Unprotected teeth and gums can become broken, chipped, cut, or even knocked out, resulting in immediate trips to the emergency dentist. However, with a custom mouthguard, their pearly whites and soft oral tissues will remain protected, absorbing any impact that might try to cause damage to their smile.

Tooth Decay is the Most Common Dental Disease Among Kids

Tooth decay can occur at any age, but if your little one is between the ages of 2 and 11, they will likely develop a cavity during this time. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) even states that more than 42% of all children in this particular age range will have a cavity. Allowing this problem to remain untreated will only worsen their oral health, leading to problems with permanent tooth eruption as well as issues that can form well into adulthood.

Keeping regular appointments with your child’s pediatric dentist is essential if you want to ensure decay and disease stay away. Through this partnership, you can help your little one embrace better oral hygiene at home while looking forward to dental visits that promote healthy, beautiful smiles.

About the Author
Dr. Jeffrey DeMartino is a dentist in Phillipsburg who joined his father and future wife in practice at DeMartino Dental Group. He and Dr. Nélida Garcia-DeMartino believe in providing exceptional dental care to patients of all ages. When working with young children, they use a calming and compassionate approach while providing parents with vital information designed to keep teeth and gums healthy while at home. If you want to learn more about what you can do to help your little one get excited about oral hygiene, visit our website or call (908) 859-5260.