Helping Your Child Stay Cavity Free

If you have a child and worry about your son or daughter developing cavities, then you should understand that about 21% of children have cavities in their adult teeth. Cavities are dental decay that create a permanent hole in the enamel. While fillings can be utilized to repair a tooth, the filling will not be nearly as strong as the natural enamel. This is why it is best to retain as much of the natural tooth enamel as possible. If you want to help your child remain cavity free, then there are a few simple things you can do to assist them.

Increase Water Intake

Most parents know that water is essential to the health of their children. This is true to replenish the body as a whole and also to encourage good oral health. Water is needed to maintain proper saliva production. The production and flow of saliva in the mouth is one way that the oral cavity protects itself from decay. The saliva creates a pH neutral environment that is less ideal for bacteria to multiply. It also clings to the mucous membranes to create a protective barrier against bacteria. Saliva washes both food and plaque out of the mouth as well. 

If you want to help your child fight cavity formation, then you should provide them with plenty of water. Not only can water help with the creation of saliva, but it can actively wash food away from the teeth too. Children need between 5 and 11 cups of water based on their age. Provide your child with a water bottle they can sip on continuously throughout the day. Also, encourage your son or daughter to drink the water after eating. This will help to loosen plaque and rinse it out of the mouth so bacterial activity is controlled. 

Offer Foods With Fluoride

Bacteria in the mouth will slowly eat away at the enamel surfaces that cover the teeth. When this happens, the teeth will lose some of its strong and hard mineral content. The loss of this content can lead to cavities. Fortunately, the mineral structure can be rebuilt as long as your child eats healthy foods that are abundant in nutrients like calcium and vitamin D. Fluoride is also needed to help the teeth retain minerals.

You may know that fluoride can be found in regular tap water, but you may not know that there are a few foods that contain the nutrient as well. A few examples include pickles, grape juice, spinach, carrots, and tomatoes. Feed your child these foods as well as other that contain fluoride on a daily basis. For more information, contact dentists at places like Pine Lake Dental Group.