Reinforcing Regular Oral Hygiene Practices

Parents need to keep a watchful eye on their child's teeth cleaning to reinforce a regular habit. Regular dental check-ups monitor growth and minimize decay risks.

Fissure Sealants

The molar teeth grow from about 6 years of age and are present BEHIND the last baby molar teeth. The chewing (occlusive) surface of the back molar teeth often has grooves and pits, which are ideal sites for the collection of food/bacteria. To help prevent decay, fissure sealants are painted on these surfaces, which creates a barrier to keep food and bacteria out. Ask the dentist about this preventive treatment.

Orthodontic Treatment

Some children benefit from orthodontic treatment at an early age, to correct teeth or jaw problems.
Early intervention can prevent the need for or result in a more successful outcome of later orthodontic treatment . Several treatment options can be performed by the dentist; however some orthodontic treatments will require a specialist in the field.

For school aged children, it is important to remember...

• You are what you eat but...while having seemingly the same diet, one member of the
  family may get decay, while others don't.
• It's not how MUCH sweet foods you eat but how OFTEN you eat them.
• You can not brush your teeth often enough to compensate for your dietary faults.
• Most dental problems don't cause any pain until they become quite advanced and often difficult to treat.
• "They're only baby teeth..." children can begin to get adult teeth from pre-school years. Problems with baby teeth often affect the adult teeth.

Helpful Suggestions:

• Reward your child with something that won't harm their teeth. Stickers, a cuddle or a cumulative system of rewards can be more fun for children and better for them.
• Beware of medicines and tablets that include sugar - they may be the "hidden" factor in causing dental problems.
• Fluoride has been shown to be very important in preventing tooth decay. Check your water filter to make sure it's not removing fluoride.
• Sweets after a meal or a designated 'pig-out' time once a week may help control your
  child's sweet tooth.