8 Practical Tips to Prevent Cavities for Kids

Wow. The statistics are staggering. More than one million British children under five have at least two fillings & 47 per cent of youngsters under 12 have been told they have dental decay.* That’s right – you read that right – 1 million children under FIVE years old have at least TWO fillings and a whopping 47% of kids under 12 have dental decay.
So, if you’re a parent and reading this then the chances are, sadly, your child may be part of these statistics. Here are some practical tips to help prevent cavities and dental decay in children:
1. Stop giving your child (including babies) juice or formula at night. The sugar in juice and formula causes the bacteria in the mouth to produce the acids that cause baby bottle tooth decay. As an alternative, you can offer water 🙂
2. When making food choices, look for low-fat foods from the basic food groups. Raw fruits and veggies, nuts, whole-grain breads and low-fat dairy products are great for your child’s overall health — including their dental health!
3. Keep the sweets to a minimum. Set limits and stick to them – such as something to look forward to once a week, or for special occassions only. You’ll find that soon your children won’t miss the sweets and will learn to make healthy food choices that they will carry on for life.
4. Use Fluoridated water as an easy way to fight cavities throughoutEight  the day. Instead of spending the extra money on bottled water look into a water filter.
5. Brush after meals and snacks when possible. Train your children to rinse and brush following meals and snacks at home.
6. Dd you know that cavities are contagious? If you have them you can pass them on to your child by sharing cups and utensils. Play it safe and make sure each person has their own cup and utensils so stop the spread of cavities in your family.
7. Encourage your children to brush for at least 2 minutes twice a day. You can find toothbrushes that light up or play music for the two minutes – or you can get a fun egg timer to track the time.
8. Spend the extra money on the ‘fun’ toothbrush for your child. It may encourage them to want to have an interest in brushing their teeth and the additional cost for the ‘fun toothbrush is undoubtedly less than the “cost” of having a cavity for a lifetime!
If you have any great tips that work well to encourage your child(ren) to have a healthy mouth, let us know in the comments below 🙂
If you would like to make an appointment for you or your child call us on 01772 717316 or email info@lifestyledental.co.uk
*according to this article