3 Ways To Improve Your Child's Oral Health

As a parent, you are an advocate for your child's health, whether you are taking them to the dentist or teaching them healthy habits to take care of their teeth and gums. You already know that you should take your child to the dentist at least twice a year and encourage them to brush their teeth twice a day. You can also take steps every day to boost your child's oral health. Here are three ways for improving your child's oral health.

Stick with water after bedtime.

Your child may wake up after you put them to bed and ask for something to drink. The only beverage you should give them is water, especially if they are going to wake up and take sips of their drink throughout the night. While juice and milk have healthy properties, you do not want residues from these beverages sitting on your child's teeth all night long. Any residue from drinks or food given to your child after bedtime will sit on their teeth for hours and hours, until they brush them the next morning. This increases their likelihood of developing cavities, because the residue can bond with bacteria to form plaque.

Introduce fluoridated water early on.

Many toothpastes and mouthwashes are enhanced with fluoride, which is helpful for teeth. In many places, fluoride is also added to the general water supply. If your water supply does not have fluoride added, then you can supplement by purchasing bottled water that has fluoride added to it. Fluoride helps to protect teeth from losing their mineral mass, by negating the effects of acid in the mouth. Fluoride also helps to replace minerals that are lost from teeth due to acid attacks or mechanical stresses on the teeth. Giving your child fluoridated water to drink can help them to fight tooth decay.

Provide a healthy, balanced diet.

A healthy diet gives your child many benefits. It is also very good for their oral health. Make sure that you are giving your child a diet that is rich in dairy products, such as yogurt, cheese, and milk. Dairy foods help to remineralize damaged teeth and may also help to buffer the effects of acids on the teeth, because they are chemically basic. Another healthy kind of food for your child is citrus fruit. Citrus fruits, such as oranges, are high in vitamin C. A study showed that those who had a diet rich in vitamin C had lower cases of periodontitis.

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