Mistakes Made With the Dental Health of Children

As a parent, you want what’s best for your child. That’s why you run around to all the sports practices and review all the homework each night. While you do everything you think is ideal, there are some mistakes you might be making regarding your child’s oral health. Here are some common pitfalls and how to avoid them with our family dentist in West Indianapolis.

Sports Drink Consumption

You might be avoiding sodas because you know how much sugar they contain. As an alternative, you give your children sports drinks instead. What you might not know is that they are full of citric acids which are known to eat away the tooth enamel. Instead of sodas, sports drinks or juices, it’s best to give your children water and milk to drink.

Brushing Lessons

You know that your child needs to brush their teeth, but many parents leave their kids unsupervised during this time. Instead, you should remain with them as they brush to make sure it’s being performed effectively. You could even brush together each day to ensure that all the tooth surfaces were cleaned properly.

Snacking All Day

Allowing your child to have an occasional treat is okay, but you don’t want them snacking all day long. You also don’t want your toddler to sip on fruit juices all day long from their sippy cup. When you do give them a treat, make sure you rinse out their mouth afterward. Then, about 30 minutes after the snack, they should brush their teeth.

Avoiding Dental Visits

You might think that baby teeth aren’t important enough for the dentist to look at, but your children need to visit just as often as you do. Their teeth, gums and jaw are constantly developing and you want to catch any issues early. We can:

• Spot early cavities

• Treat any abnormalities

• Detect cancer at the onset

• Apply sealants and fluoride to keep the teeth protected

If your child hasn’t been to the dentist in awhile, there’s never been a better time than right now. Help them to build strong and healthy teeth by visiting our family dentist in West Indianapolis..