GOOD ORAL HEALTH FOR A LIFETIME
Our focus at East Grinstead Dental is on prevention, and part of this is instilling good habits about oral health in children from a very young age. This is achieved by making the experience positive from their first visit. This helps us build trust and build a relationship that helps maintain good oral health for a lifetime.
Dental decay in children is still too common, and recent surveys have shown that one in four children has some element of tooth decay. This can pose many problems, such as pain, difficulty sleeping, and missed school and workdays for parents.
While treating the decay is part of the solution, we aim to educate and inform all our child patients and their parents to help prevent tooth decay and maintain good oral health. Education about dietary habits, nutrition, and fluoride advice is vital to this process.
Children should be seen by the dentist as soon as their teeth begin to erupt- so from a few months old! This is to ensure that they maintain good oral hygiene habits, no decay, and no problems with missing or crooked teeth. Misaligned teeth are prevalent and can result in crowded teeth and bite discrepancies. If these are picked up early on, they can be treated much more straightforwardly without having extensive (and often costly) orthodontic treatment later in life.
The most important factors related to tooth decay are diet, toothbrushing, and the use of fluoride toothpaste. Frequent snacking on sugary foods can result in tooth decay. Eating healthy and in moderation is the best advice that we can give. Even excessive fruit consumption can result in tooth erosion due to their acidity.
Brushing teeth twice daily with fluoride toothpaste removes plaque debris and harmful bacteria responsible for tooth decay and gum disease. Furthermore, fluoride increases teeth’s resistance to decay.
