3 ways to enjoy a cavity free school holiday

During these school holidays help your child get on top of their oral health. To help we’ve put together our top three tips:

1. Maintain an active oral health routine

Did you know you should you start brushing your children’s teeth when they get their first tooth! No matter the age of the child all teeth can develop holes at any stage of life. It also gets them used to the feeling of a toothbrush and the taste of toothpaste. Also supervision and helping brush your kid’s teeth is essential until they are around 8 years of age or until they can tie their own shoelaces. Otherwise, children do not have the manual dexterity to get to the hard to reach areas to prevent these holes. Flossing is also important as many holes we see are in-between the teeth. Therefore, to help prevent these holes flossing should also begin by the age of 2 to get your child used to the technique and feeling. It is VERY important to let an adult help them brush so they can get every groove and hard to get areas of their mouth.

What do you do if your child is refusing to brush or won’t let you help?

Try to make brushing a bit more fun than making brushing a chore. Put some music on and get your child to brush their teeth for a whole song, as most songs go for 3 minutes which is recommended. Another good option to get your child interested in brushing is electric toothbrushes, a lot of them either play a song or vibrate when the time is up so your kids will brush for the recommended time.

2. Eat Food that Teeth love

Being a parent and being time poor, more often than not goes hand in hand. Snacks such as potato chips, and crackers contain starchy carbs and readily available everywhere you look. The starchy carbs contained within those snacks is what sticks to their teeth. As a result, unhealthy acid builds up that in turn fuels cavities. Instead choose crunchy fibrous vegetable snacks such as carrot, celery, broccoli, and bell pepper as a healthy alternative. The texture of these vegetables can help clean away unhealthy plaque build. If you still want to give your child sugary foods and even fruits that have natural sugars, it is a great idea to have your child drink some water and swish it around in their mouth to get that sugar off their teeth to prevent the holes from occurring.

3. Water

Maintaining optimal saliva is crucial in the fight against cavities. Drinking water ensures your child is not just well hydrated but reduces their chance of dry mouth – a condition that makes it hard to swallow and chew due the lack of saliva present. Saliva is 99% water, which means if you drink enough water you can maintain healthy levels of saliva.

Rachel is an Oral Health Therapist at our clinic NEDS she specialises in under 25’s therefore loves working with children. At NEDS we offer cleans, fillings, extractions and if your child is not compliant coming to the dentist or getting dental treatment there are always options such as Nitrous Oxide (Happy Gas) and Oral Sedation and General Aesthetic.

If you would like your children to have a check up or have any concerns, feel free to come in and talk to us at NEDS even if your child is nervous they can have a ride in the chair and watch the TV on the roof. We are also happy to look up if your child is eligible for the Child Benefit Dental Scheme which gives your children a $1,000 worth of dental treatment every 24 months.