Canada - April is Dental Health Month
Published: April 02, 2010 7:00 PM
Forty per cent of kindergarten children in BC have experienced tooth decay. Many of those children require dental surgery in hospital. But tooth decay is 100 per cent preventable — all it takes is a little knowledge and regular dental check ups. In fact, the Canadian Dental Association recommends a child’s first check up should be within six months of the first tooth erupting or by age one.
Did you know that tooth decay is a contagious disease?
Parents with active decay can pass decay causing bacteria to their children within the first two years of life by cleaning a child’s soother in their mouth, testing food temperature using the same spoon the child will use or by sharing a toothbrush.
Start cleaning your child’s mouth even before they get teeth. Use a baby face cloth and rub the gums to get children used to having you clean their mouths.
As soon a tooth appears, start brushing your child’s teeth twice a day using a smear of fluoride toothpaste.
Removing the plaque twice a day reduces the risk of early decay. Keep tooth brushes and toothpaste in the kitchen and brush right after breakfast.
Most children are not co-operative with brushing at first. Try singing a song or brushing at bath time. Let children play with one of their favourite toys after brushing their teeth.
Be sure to let them have a turn with their own brush.
A good rule of thumb is to help your children brush until they can write their name, as that is when they will have the dexterity to do a good job by themselves. Start flossing your child’s teeth by age 3.
Here are some other ways to keep your children’s teeth healthy. Avoid giving them bottles in bed.
The sugar in the liquid in bottles stays on teeth as children sleep and eat away at their teeth.
Water is the only liquid that is safe for teeth during the night. Watch what your toddler eats at snack time as soft processed packaged foods stick to the teeth and cause cavities.
Wherever possible, stick with fresh fruits and veggies, yogurt, cheese and whole wheat crackers as part of a sit down snack. Try not to let children walk around with food or with sippy cups containing anything other than water.
Forty per cent of kindergarten children in BC have experienced tooth decay. Many of those children require dental surgery in hospital. But tooth decay is 100 per cent preventable — all it takes is a little knowledge and regular dental check ups. In fact, the Canadian Dental Association recommends a child’s first check up should be within six months of the first tooth erupting or by age one.
Did you know that tooth decay is a contagious disease?
Parents with active decay can pass decay causing bacteria to their children within the first two years of life by cleaning a child’s soother in their mouth, testing food temperature using the same spoon the child will use or by sharing a toothbrush.
Start cleaning your child’s mouth even before they get teeth. Use a baby face cloth and rub the gums to get children used to having you clean their mouths.
As soon a tooth appears, start brushing your child’s teeth twice a day using a smear of fluoride toothpaste.
Removing the plaque twice a day reduces the risk of early decay. Keep tooth brushes and toothpaste in the kitchen and brush right after breakfast.
Most children are not co-operative with brushing at first. Try singing a song or brushing at bath time. Let children play with one of their favourite toys after brushing their teeth.
Be sure to let them have a turn with their own brush.
A good rule of thumb is to help your children brush until they can write their name, as that is when they will have the dexterity to do a good job by themselves. Start flossing your child’s teeth by age 3.
Here are some other ways to keep your children’s teeth healthy. Avoid giving them bottles in bed.
The sugar in the liquid in bottles stays on teeth as children sleep and eat away at their teeth.
Water is the only liquid that is safe for teeth during the night. Watch what your toddler eats at snack time as soft processed packaged foods stick to the teeth and cause cavities.
Wherever possible, stick with fresh fruits and veggies, yogurt, cheese and whole wheat crackers as part of a sit down snack. Try not to let children walk around with food or with sippy cups containing anything other than water.
posted by Bill at
10:27 AM
1 Comments:
Remember to catch the Tooth Fairy whenever that first tooth falls out. http://www.iCaughtTheToothFairy.com
Happy Dental Health Month!
Steven
By
Unknown, at 03 April, 2010
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