Childhood cavities are the most common chronic disease in kids — and one of the most preventable. A few routines, started early, do most of the work.
Start before the first birthday
Wipe your baby's gums with a clean cloth after feedings. Once the first tooth appears, brush twice a day with a smear of fluoride toothpaste the size of a grain of rice. At age three, move to a pea-sized amount.
Avoid putting your child to bed with a bottle of milk or juice — sugars pooling around the teeth overnight cause rapid decay.
Snacks matter more than quantity of sugar
How often teeth are exposed to sugar matters more than how much. A sipped juice box over an hour is harder on teeth than the same juice in five minutes with a meal.
- Serve sweets with meals rather than between them.
- Water between meals — plain tap water in our area contains fluoride.
- Sticky snacks like fruit gummies cling to grooves; rinse or brush after.
Sealants and sports guards
Dental sealants are a thin protective coating placed in the deep grooves of the back teeth, where brushes cannot reach. They are quick, painless, and dramatically reduce decay in permanent molars.
If your child plays contact sports, a custom mouthguard protects both teeth and jaw far better than a boil-and-bite version.
