Celebrating Children’s Dental Health Month with Healthy Teeth

Take a moment and celebrate Children’s Dental Health Month with Dr. Farless and your Greensboro family dentistry team!Children’s Dental Health Month

By taking better care of your child’s teeth today, the better able you can prevent cavities, plaque and other dental problems from happening in the future. And, what better time is there to start taking a more active approach to your child’s oral health than this February, children’s dental health month?

The Secret To A Healthy Smile

Most of us already know the importance of brushing twice a day, flossing daily and eating healthy foods. But, the real secret to a healthy smile is learning what you and your children’s teeth are up against and how to prevent them.

  • Plaque is a sticky, colorless film that collects on teeth every day. When we eat, bacteria in plaque helps transform food sugars to acid, which then attack tooth enamel. If left unchecked, plaque can become tartar overtime, a hard calcified deposit that only dentists can remove. Brushing, flossing and rinsing mouthwash can all help reduce plaque in your mouth. So too can your saliva naturally. But, to really fight back, what you’ll need is a disclosing solution, which should be available at your local drugstore. The solution, as it name suggests, disclosed where plaque is on your teeth, revealing spots that you might’ve missed while brushing.
  • If plaque isn’t taken care of regularly, the tooth enamel can break down from the constant presence of acid, causing decay. Over time, decay can spread from the outside towards the center of your tooth. If detected early, decay can easily be treated by a filling by your dentist. However, if left unchecked, the decay can reach the nerve, causing serious issues that usually requires either a root canal, or a tooth extraction.
  • What you eat and drink has a direct effect on your teeth. Sugar, for example, can damage your teeth. But, that doesn’t mean you should avoid fruit and dairy products, and even honey, altogether because they contain sugar. Although it is advisable to minimize your consumption of such types of food. Generally, what you and kids should avoid eating are caramel, hard candies, starchy foods and sodas. If you can’t avoid eating them, save them for meals so you can brush your teeth after.

Fighting Against Plaque and Decay

You only need two things to keep teeth healthy and beautiful: a toothbrush and a fluoride toothpaste. Of course, not just any toothbrush will do. The design can differ depending on what you’re comfortable using. What is important is that your toothbrush has a small head so it can reach all the difficult places in your mouth and soft, rounded bristles so it can clean teeth without damaging them. Don’t forget to replace them after a cold and/or every two to three months as well. As for your toothpaste, any that has fluoride, which helps teeth retain calcium and keep them strong against decay, should be enough. Abrasive ingredients can help, but may only end up harming the enamel if overused.

Remember to visit Dr. Farless, your local Greensboro family dentist, every three to six months for periodic checkups and cleaning to make sure that your teeth and your child’s are as healthy and as beautiful as they can be. Keeping teeth healthy and beautiful takes work, but they’re definitely worth the effort. Call Dr. Graham Farless today for an appointment at 336-282-2868. Visit the website at www.gsodentist.com.