National Children’s Dental Health Month

National Children’s Dental Health Month

13 / 02 / 2018

So it’s February, and this month is National Children’s Dental Health Month.

So what does that mean?

The ADA (American Dental Association) sponsors this event in order to ensure that the right information is given to patients and children to highlight the importance and impact of good oral health.

Here at Crook Log Dental Practice, Bexleyheath we would like to do our bit in giving 5 tips for caring the little ones.

1. It’s important to brush twice daily for two and a half minutes. To form create a habit, try supervising this at the same times daily until it becomes routine for the child.
2. Correct brushing technique: Multiple videos can be found on YouTube/websites, just search “Modified Bass Technique.” A soft/medium bristle brush, angled 45 degrees towards the gum, brushing in small circles for 3-5 seconds per tooth surface should provide a good clean
3. Did you know that the most important active ingredient in toothpaste is the fluoride? Mouthwashes after brushing wash away the toothpaste and reduce its benefits. Refrain your child from rinsing the mouth after brushing and adopt the “spit don’t rinse” habit early on. Mouthwashes can be used between meals!
4. Unfortunately, fruits & smoothies are full of sugar so it’s best to try to avoid smoothies and just eat the fruit, and when your child eats their fruit it is best served with a main meal. It’s the frequency of sugar consumption that contributes to decay, so this is a good way to reduce that frequency.
5. Trips and falls. This is a common problem, if the child falls over and a tooth falls out, to give it its best chance of being put back in, hold the tooth from the crown (white part of the tooth) and not the root, then place it in milk and come to the dentist ASAP and call them on the way so they can plan to see the child urgently as time is of the essence, to be exact, the likelihood of success drops considerably after 60 minutes. For more information on this, you can visit the IADT for more in-depth tips (this is a website for dentists but has great tips on how to handle the incident immediately)