5 Tips for Preventing Cavities

No one LIKES dealing with cavities - they’re annoying and painful. But ignoring cavities in baby teeth assuming they’ll fall out anyway is a dangerous misconception. 

To help prevent cavities in your family, use these five recommendations from an expert pediatric dental practice (aka - us!):

1. Teach your children the importance of dental health.
First and foremost, it’s important to teach your children the importance of routine dental care. Help your children understand the importance of brushing for two minutes twice daily and once daily flossing.

2. Up the intake of crisp fruits and veggies.
Crisp, water dense fruits and veggies are not only a great way to keep your child’s mouth hydrated - but they also help stimulate the production of saliva. The proteins and minerals found in saliva help protect tooth enamel which prevents tooth decay!

3. Avoid excess sugar.
We’re not saying to avoid ALL sugar - remember, moderation is key. When you can, limit your child’s sugar intake. Instead of a glass of juice with lunch and soda with dinner, substitute one meal with water and encourage water consumption throughout the day. Drinking plenty of water throughout the day is an effortless habit for preventing cavities!
 

4. Make routine dental visits.
Bring your kids into their regularly scheduled dental appointments with us! This way, we have the opportunity to spot any irregularities and catch problems fast. We know it’s easy to skip appointments, but committing to visiting us twice a year will allow us to address problems early when things are typically more treatable.
 

5. Ask us about sealants.
The grooves and depressions that form the chewing surfaces of the back teeth are extremely difficult (if not impossible) to clean of bacteria and food. As the bacteria reacts with the food, acids form and break down the tooth enamel, causing cavities. Tooth sealants help prevent this! Sealants are just a thin, plastic coating painted on teeth. When applied to the chewing surfaces of molars, sealants act as a barrier between the tooth and harmful bacteria. It lasts for several years and just needs to be checked during your child’s regular appointments.

For more tips on how to prevent cavities in your children - give us a call! At Adelberg Montalvan Pediatric Dental our purpose is to provide exceptional mental and dental care that can impact your child’s life forever. Our practice has been providing excellent pediatric dentistry to children of Long Island for over 14 years. We have three locations: Nesconset, Massapequa Park, and West Islip.

Explaining Tooth Decay to Kids

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We know how crucial oral hygiene is to our health, at this point it’s been ingrained in our brains. We know the importance of brushing and flossing, how to prevent cavities, and what happens when cavities are spotted - but do kids fully understand? What does the word “cavity” even mean to your child?

We make every effort to provide our patients with information regarding cavities in a language that they can understand. Here are some additional ways you can help explain it too!

Simplify the basics - For many people, regardless of their age, learning a complicated concept is best done with a relatable example. Simplify the idea of a cavity/tooth decay, explaining that when you eat sugar it sticks to teeth allowing tiny sugar bugs or “mouth monsters” to form and start eating away, leaving tiny holes.

Use visuals - Not all layers of the tooth is seen by the naked eye! Find a diagram that examines all parts of the tooth so your child can visually understand its anatomy. There are also plenty of video resources and apps available that can explain to process as well!

Switch roles - Now that you’ve done the teaching, try becoming the student! Let your child teach you about tooth decay to make sure they’ve got it. Pretend they are the dentist and you are a new patient eager to understand how to keep your teeth healthy!

 

It’s also important to reiterate that regular professional cleanings are a normal part of the process and that the dentist plays a big role in preventing tooth decay - and that's where we come in! We specialize in caring for children’s teeth in a comfortable and caring environment. Call (516) 798-1111 or visit our website to schedule an appointment.

How to Prevent Cavities in Your Children

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Dental decay, for the most part, is a preventable disease. In fact, many children grow up cavity free - and it’s not due to luck or good genes! By learning about cavity prevention early on, parents are able to implement certain behaviors in their young children - starting them on the path to a lifetime of good oral health.

Here are some things to keep in mind:

• Bottles do not cause cavities, it’s the liquid inside that can promote tooth decay. Milk, juice, formula - just about everything your child drinks contains sugar. When sugar is left in the mouth, bacteria starts to break it down and turn it into acid which starts eating away at tooth enamel. Putting your child to bed with a bottle of juice or milk over night is the ideal way to start the above process. Work to limit your child’s time with a bottle, fill it with water, and as soon as possible - teach him or her how to drink from a cup.
• A child with past caries experience is at risk for future cavities. The best chance of avoiding any problems in the future is to not develop them as an infant or toddler. Limit the amount of candy and sugary snacks that can get stuck to teeth. Also, look at the ingredients on the packages of the groceries you are buying - many times sugar and high fructose corn syrup are at the top of the list.
• Using fluoridated water and the use of a fluoridated toothpaste increases the chance of stopping cavities from developing. In a recent paper in the Canadian Journal of Dental Hygiene, Robert Compton, DDS, the executive director of the DentaQuest Institute, reported: “The result of behavior modification and goal setting along with frequent application of fluoride varnish and home fluoride toothpaste was a reduction of 65% in new cavitation.”

It’s also important to be a good role model for your children. If you make brushing and flossing a daily part of your routine, you have a greater chance of having kids who brush and floss regularly.

If you have any questions in preventing early childhood caries - contact any of our three offices today!

 

Adelberg Montalvan Pediatric Dentistry has three Long Island locations. We specialize in caring for children’s teeth in a comfortable and caring environment. Call (516) 798-1111 or visit our website to schedule an appointment. Don't forget to LIKE us on Facebook and Follow us on Twitter for updates and industry news!

#TuesdayTips - For Preventing Baby Bottle Tooth Decay

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While yes, your child’s primary (baby) teeth are only temporary, they are still susceptible to the same decay and disease as adult teeth. If your child’s baby teeth aren’t properly cared for, bacteria and decay can easily be passed down to the tooth waiting to come in behind it. It’s important to start your little ones off with good oral care early to help protect their teeth for decades to come.

Tooth decay in infants and toddlers is commonly referred to as Baby Bottle Tooth Decay or Early Childhood Caries. While there are a number of factors that can contribute to the cause of decay, one common cause is frequent, prolonged exposure of the baby’s teeth to drinks high in sugar. Such as, putting the child to bed with a bottle or when a bottle is used as a pacifier for a fussy baby.

The good news is, this baby bottle tooth decay IS preventable! As suggested by MouthHealthy.org:

• Place only formula, milk or breastmilk in bottles. Avoid filling the bottle with liquids such as sugar water, juice or soft drinks.
• Children should finish their bedtime and nap time bottles prior to going to bed.
• When your child’s teeth come in, brush them gently with a child-size toothbrush and a smear (or grain of rice sized amount) of fluoride toothpaste until the age of 3.
• Avoid cleaning off baby feeding spoons or pacifiers with your mouth as cavity-causing bacteria are spread through saliva. After each feeding, gently wipe your child’s gums with a clean, damp gauze pad or washcloth.

If you have additional questions about your child’s teeth, feel free to give us a call. We can also schedule your child’s first dental visit to ensure their teeth are erupting properly and that there are no dental abnormalities.

Adelberg Montalvan Pediatric Dentistry has three Long Island locations. We specialize in caring for children’s teeth in a comfortable and caring environment. Call (516) 798-1111 or visit our website to schedule an appointment. Don't forget to LIKE us on Facebook and Follow us on Twitter for updates and industry news!