3 Ways To Prevent Tooth Gear In Children

Children are very fond of sweet foods, such as candy, cotton candy, ice cream, milk, and so on. However, sometimes children forget to brush their teeth after eating sweet foods. This triggers the growth of bacteria in the teeth and the child's teeth so hollow. This little thing is sometimes forgotten by children and parents, then only realized after the child's teeth hollow. Come on, look at your child's teeth.

How can cavities occur?

Normally the tooth surface is covered with dental plaque. Bacteria in dental plaque will metabolize the sugars from food and produce acid. Keep in mind, sugar is a food from bacteria. This acid will then erode the mineral from the tooth surface or commonly called the enamel.

On the other hand, saliva or saliva consisting of calcium and phosphate will reduce the acid that attacks the tooth by neutralizing and preventing it from removing minerals from the teeth. However, saliva takes ample time to do this.

If your child continues to eat and drink, especially those containing sugar, the saliva will not have enough time to do the work. The bacteria cycle produces acid and then saliva helps to reduce the acid will continue. Because too much acid is produced, the saliva does not have enough energy to fight it and eventually the minerals on the tooth surface will be eroded. White spots on teeth will then appear, indicating the mineral tooth is gone. This is the first sign of cavities.

The development to go to cavities can be stopped at this time. Tooth surfaces can repair itself by using minerals from saliva and fluoride from toothpaste. However, if the minerals that are lost remain irrevocable, then the process of going to cavities will continue. Over time, the tooth surface will weaken and disintegrate, forming a hole.

How to prevent cavities?

Tooth decay occurs due to loss of mineral in teeth caused by bacteria. These bacteria produce acids that will erode the tooth surface. Actually, saliva in our mouth has worked hard to keep our teeth from bacteria and acids. However, because the food we eat is enough, saliva needs help to do its work.

To help saliva in preventing cavities, you should teach your child to:

1. Diligent brushing your teeth regularly

Brushing your teeth regularly using fluoride-containing toothpaste is important to prevent cavities. Fluoride can prevent cavities by preventing the loss of minerals from the tooth surface, replacing the lost minerals in the teeth, reducing the ability of bacteria to produce acids.

Brushing should be done twice a day, ie after breakfast and before bed. While sleeping, saliva is produced only slightly, so brush your teeth before bed helps teeth repair themselves from acid.

Rules of brushing teeth for children

When children brush their teeth, it's worth noting:

• There is no need to add toothpaste to children under 2 years of age when brushing your teeth, water alone is enough to brush your teeth at this age. For children aged 2-6 years, you should give a toothpaste on a child's toothbrush. Give only the amount of pea beans, not too much because it will also damage the child's teeth.
• Teach the child to remove his toothpaste after brushing his teeth and not to be swallowed by the child. A high fluoride content in a child's toothpaste if ingested by a child will cause fluorosis. Children under 6 years old usually tend to swallow toothpaste when brushing teeth, let alone a sweet toothbrush taste and like fruit make him want to swallow it.
• If the child has not been able to brush his or her teeth, you should help brush your child's teeth. Try to help your child brush his teeth at the beginning of brushing his teeth and let him continue it on his own.

2. Pay attention to the food the child eats

Food greatly affects the dental health of children. Foods and beverages containing sugar trigger bacteria to produce acids from the sugar. This acid then erodes minerals on tooth surfaces. Although saliva can fight acid, but if too much acid is produced by bacteria, saliva is not able to overcome it.

Therefore, you need to pay attention to what foods and drinks kids eat and how often children eat and drink the sweet. One thing that is often missed is whether the child brushing his teeth after eating or drinking sweet, it is very important to prevent tooth decay especially if your child likes a sweet. Make sure the child does not eat again after the toothbrush before bed.

Some of the sweet foods and beverages that should be restricted for consumption by children are:

• Chocolate
• Cake and biscuits
• Sweet cakes and fruit pie
• Pudding
• Cereals
• Jam
• Honey
• Ice cream
• Syrup
• Soft drinks, such as soft drinks and packaged tea

You should give your child time to enjoy the sweet snack, between meals. It is useful to reduce the habits of children eating sugary foods continuously and also to give time for saliva to repair teeth.

3. Checking the child's teeth to the dentist regularly

Do not forget to always check your child's teeth regularly to the dentist, at least once a year. This is done to maintain the dental health of children, so if there is damage to the teeth of the child can be known as early as possible. Explain slowly to the child that they should not be afraid of the dentist.

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