Cosmetic Dentistry Fairhope Alabama

Taking Care of Your Tot’s Teeth

Cleaning between the Teeth

In what order you clean between the teeth, before or after brushing, it doesn’t matter as long as you are cleaning any teeth that touch!  Use child-friendly plastic flossing tools to help clean between the teeth until they learn to do it themselves!

Preventing Baby Bottle Tooth Decay

Baby bottle tooth decay happens mostly with the upper front teeth, but other teeth can also be affected.  When the baby’s teeth are frequently exposed to drinks that contain sugar, this causes tooth decay.  This happens when a baby is put to bed with a bottle or when a bottle is always used as a pacifier for a fussy baby.

Keep Their Mouths Clean

Next time their pacifier goes flying, don’t just swoop in and pick it up and put it in your mouth because you think that makes it “cleaner”.  Cavity-causing bacteria can be passed through saliva.  So doing this can introduce germs to your child instead of protecting them from germs!  This is the same for mealtime.  It is second nature to offer a bite of food to your baby from your fork.  Keep your utensils and your germs separate as much as possible!  This keeps the mouthy and body healthy! Cosmetic Dentistry Fairhope Alabama

Water Works

When your child is thirsty, water is the best beverage to offer, especially if it contains fluoride!  Drinking water with fluoride has been shown to reduce cavities by 25%.  Sweetened drinks like fruit juice, even those labeled 100% natural, soda, and sports drinks can cause cavities.  Water with fluoride will help protect your teeth.  Sugary drinks can contribute to weight gain, but water is calorie-free!

Keeping Cavities at Bay

Brushing and Flossing will go a long way to protect your teeth, but having sealants can help form an extra barrier between any cavity-causing bacteria and the teeth. School-age children who don’t have sealants have almost 3 times more cavities than children with sealants. Cosmetic Dentistry Fairhope Alabama

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