This week let's discuss 5 habits to avoid while taking care of your child's teeth.
#1 Avoid a diet high in sugar
Sugar is one of the major causes of cavities. The more sugar stays in your mouth more chances that cavities can occur.
#2 Avoid the use of baby bottles/ Non-Sippy cups
Nursing bottles and juices in non-sippy bottles allow the sugared milk/ juice to stay longer in the mouth. Always use tumblers/ cups for giving liquids. It encourages good swallowing practice and also helps in the proper development of the jaws.
#3 Say NO to bottle at bedtime
It is common for the child to fall asleep while feeding, but when the mother is breastfeeding as the child is satisfied the child falls asleep and the mother will be able to feel this both emotionally and physically, hence will stop feeding. But the same with the bottle is a different scenario, the child unknowingly sleeps with the bottle in the mouth and the milk remains in the baby's mouth for a very long period the sugar from the milk and causes a lot of decay in the child's mouth. Personally have seen cavities in a child as young as 1 year and children aged 2 years requiring root canal treatment (pulpectomy).
#4 Say No to eating after night brushing
Nighttime brushing is a vital step in the fight against cavities. Eating after brushing at night will make the teeth weaker. There are two reasons for this, first, during the night the food is going to stay longer in the kid's mouth, the longer it stays more the cavity. second, brushing has removed all the plaque and the fluoride in the toothpaste gives strength to the tooth, this effect wears off as soon as the child eats anything. So This is a BIG NO NO, Do Not give your kid anything after brushing at night.
#5 Say No to eating with electronics
Eating/ feeding with videos, TV, and mobile has become the new normal for both kids and parents in this busy world. This habit makes the kid eat longer and the longer food stays in the mouth, you guessed more the cavities. So avoid this habit from a very young age, and distract your child using toys and fun songs rather than using electronics.
Many parents I meet think that milk teeth aren't essential as they fall and are replaced by permanent teeth. But on the other hand, milk is present in the child's mouth for about 10-12 years and these are crucial to the child's growth and development. Milk teeth not only help in overall development but also are essential for developing the face and the supporting airway and breathing for the child. The practices we as parents indulge in the child today help the child in proper growth and develop good habits in young children.
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