How to prevent tooth decay in children
Sixty-percent of primary school children in South African suffer from dental decay. Here's what you can do to ensure your child's smile is always sparkling.
Getting your children to brush their teeth is a mission for parents, but alarming statistics about tooth decay in children show how important it is to ensure they brush twice daily.
Studies show that 60% of primary school children in South Africa have dental decay. As if that is not bad enough, 80% of those children don't get treatment.
Tooth decay and cavities will not only cause your children to lose their teeth, but it can also affect their performance at school.
"Oral health is integral to general health; poor oral health affects general health and the wellbeing of individuals as a result of the pain and the disability it can cause. It affects the ability to speak, eat, and carry out daily activities. Evidence has shown dental caries to be associated with poor school performance amongst children," Dr Mpho Molete wrote in a Wits report.
Dentist to the stars Alexander Faizi Rawhani, better known as ‘Dr Smile’, recently shared some oral care tips for parents.
"I personally think that as parents, you are all responsible to ensure that your child is brushing and taking care of their mouth correctly at least until they are 10 years old, at least!" he wrote on Instagram.
Dr Smile, who has worked with celebrities such as AKA, Minnie Dlamini, Amanda du-Pont, and Pearl Thusi, says regular visits to the dentist are imperative for your little ones.
"They allow us to help you rectify any dietary problems, ensure you know and understand how and when to brush your teeth, as well as tailor an oral hygiene regime for you as a parent as well as help your child, no matter how young, to embrace and understand it."
He suggests taking children to the dentist as early as two years old, but parents can "seek out dental advice from your dentist from around six months when their first teeth start erupting".
Here are four things Dr Smile says parents shouldn't assume about their children's oral care:
- Do not assume they magically know how to brush their teeth just because you taught them a few times.
- Do not assume they understand the concept of rinsing after meals with water.
- Do not assume that they will brush before they sleep just because you told them to.
- And please don't assume that a hole in their tooth is magically going to disappear by itself and that you don't have to intervene.
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