Make sure your child brushes! Brushing with fluoride toothpaste is important for preventing cavities. Here’s what you should know about brushing:
Have your child brush at least twice each day. Supervise young children when they brush. For children aged 2 to 6, you should put the toothpaste on the brush. Use only a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste.
Encourage your child to spit out the toothpaste rather than swallow it. Children under 6 tend to swallow much of the toothpaste on their brush. If children regularly consume higher-than-recommended amounts of fluoride during the teeth-forming years (age 8 and younger), their permanent teeth may develop white lines or flecks called dental fluorosis. Fluorosis is usually mild; in many cases, only a dental professional would notice it. (In children under age 2, dental experts recommend that you do not use fluoride toothpaste unless directed by a physician or dentist.)
Until they are 7 or 8 years old, you will need to help your child brush. Young children cannot get their teeth clean by themselves. Try brushing your child’s teeth first, then let him or her finish.
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39 Milford Drive, Hudson, Ohio 44236. 330-650-0360. www.drshooverandyanda.com
Keep an eye on how often your child eats, as well as what she eats.
Fluoride is a mineral that can prevent tooth decay from progressing. It can even reverse, or stop, early tooth decay.
Our mouths are full of bacteria. Hundreds of different types live on our teeth, gums, tongue and other places in our mouths. Some bacteria are helpful. But some can be harmful, like those that play a role in the tooth decay process. Tooth decay is the result of an infection with certain types of bacteria that use sugars in food to make acids. Over time, these acids can create a cavity in the tooth.
Researchers have observed that people with gum disease (when compared to people without gum disease) were more likely to develop heart disease or have difficulty controlling blood sugar. Other studies showed that women with gum disease were more likely than those with healthy gums to deliver preterm, low birth-weight babies.
People usually don’t show signs of gum disease until they are in their 30s or 40s. Men are more likely to have gum disease than women. Although teenagers rarely develop periodontitis, they can develop gingivitis, the milder form of gum disease. Most commonly, gum disease develops when plaque is allowed to build up along and under the gum line.
When a woman becomes pregnant, she knows it is important to maintain a healthy lifestyle to ensure both her own health and the health of her baby. It is important for pregnant women to maintain periodontal health as well. Research has indicated that women with 