When your little one’s teeth come through, it’s important to ensure that your child learns good teeth cleaning habits from the start – as good habits will set kids up for life.  It can be easy for mums and dads to be a little complacent about milk teeth – they will be replaced, so what’s the harm in a few cavities in early life?  Well, remember that your child may still have that decayed tooth until the age of twelve – causing pain and irritation.
So how can parents ensure that their little one’s teeth are kept clean and healthy?  Well the main cause of tooth decay is bacteria.  So the longer a child doesn’t clean his or her teeth, the longer the bacteria has to grow in the mouth.  Top tips include remembering not to give your child a bottle with a sugar drink or fruit juice, as this increases contact with the teeth.  If your child eats something particularly sweet and sticky, brush their teeth after, or at least make sure he or she washes it down with lots of water to flush out the mouth. 
A child can start using toothpaste from roughly the age of two – but mum or dad should still brush the teeth for them until the age of six. 

Parents often worry about whether giving juice to their children is a good idea.  Sure, 100% fruit juice is healthy, but does it contain too many calories for you little ones?  According to a recent analysis of government data, which will be presented at the Experimental Biology meeting this week, fruit juice is an excellent choice for children.

According to the study, kids who drank 100% fruit juice had healthier diets than those who drank no juice, and consumed more key nutrients.  The children also had BMIs (body mass indexes) which were either the same or lower than the non juice drinkers, allaying parents’ fears that juice drinking can make children obese.

The study found that although juice didn’t make the little ones considerably slimmer, it had a much greater effect in the 12 to 18 year old age group.  So what should parents do with this information?  Well – give your child juice of course!  But do it within limits.  Small babies who still drink from a bottle or sipper cup shouldn’t drink juice because of the risk to their teeth from the sugar, but it’s fine for older children.  Make sure you check the label though – a 100% fruit juice is totally different to a fruit juice drink.  Check the back of the packet to make sure that it doesn’t have any added sugar, or all the health benefits could be negated by the sugar content.  Natural fruit sugar is healthy – added white sugar isn’t great.

Most experts say that toddlers should stop bottle-feeding by 12 months old, but breastfeeding can be continued until 2 years of age, if both mom and baby want to do so.

The transition from bottle to cup can be easy if you help your toddler with the process.  Get your child a cup with a snap-on lid, a spout and handles.  Start the process by giving your toddler a cup with a small amount of water and show him how to drink out of the cup.  Make sure to offer only juice and milk from the cup and water from the bottle.  This will help break your child from an attachment to the bottle.  If your child seems cranky, resist the temptation to give them a bottle, cup or the breast right away.  Make sure she is really hungry first.

Never put your toddler to bed with a bottle or cup.  It is bad for the teeth.  Offer your child the cup at just one feeding a day until she gets used to it.  It may be a few weeks or it may take up to 6 months for your child to get used to drinking from a cup.  If your child misses the bottle, offer a blanket or stuffed animal for comfort.

Did you know that gum disease is one of the most common oral diseases in kids?  Well according to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, that’s the case.  It can be painful and unpleasant for your child, so the best thing to do is to prevent the problem in the first place.  If your child has red and inflamed gums then you should take them to see a doctor.  But if your child’s gums are fine at the moment, follow these tips to ensure that gum disease isn’t a problem

Gum disease is caused by plaque build up in the teeth primarily, so the best way to prevent it is to prevent plaque.  Obviously the main thing to do is to ensure that your child brushes his or her teeth regularly, and doesn’t skip parts of his or her mouth.  Encourage your child to floss also – if they’re too young to do it for themselves, then do if for them.  Try and make sure also that your child doesn’t suck his or her thumb – this doesn’t cause plaque, but it does make it harder to reach with a toothbrush as it displaces the teeth.  If your child eats something very sweet, get him or her to brush right after.  That way the plaque never has a chance.

While thumb sucking is a perfectly normal thing for small children to do, and most go through a thumb sucking phase, it is best to try to stop this as soon as possible.  This goes for a dummy too by the way.  Why is this?

Thumb sucking is a good way for children to bend their teeth out of position.  While thumb sucking may not cause teeth to go out of shape in itself, it can certainly make the problem worse in kids with hereditary problems.  Experts have recently told the U.S. food and drug administration that thumb sucking after the age of seven can affect not just the teeth, but also the alignment of the jaw. 

So if you don’t want your child to have to wear braces and other orthodontic appliances in later life or have a wonky smile, try and kick that thumb sucking habit in the butt as soon as you can!  Vigilance is the best way to do it – try and distract your child whenever you see their thumb going towards their mouth.  It’s a hard habit to kick, but it is just that – a habit.  There is no reason why a child should suck his or her thumb so stay firm, and think of the benefits for your child’s teeth in the long run, even if he or she protests.

All babies need to suck and yours may need more than breastfeeding or bottle-feeding allow.  Some babies suck on their thumbs and fingers even before they are born.  They seem to have a natural knack for comforting themselves in this way.  If your baby hasn’t found his own thumbs, and you don’t want to introduce a pacifier you can help him by gently guiding it into his mouth.  This might quiet him, when he’s fussy.

According to the American Dental Association, there is little reason to fear that thumb or finger sucking will harm a baby’s teeth or jaws.  It shouldn’t be a matter of concern unless the child is three or four years old and sucking with a great deal of pressure on the jaws.  Most babies give up the habit when they’re between eighteen months and two years of age.  The practice may crop up infrequently after that point, especially at times of fatigue, stress or fear, but this is natural and shouldn’t be discouraged.

Pacifiers can be helpful for babies who have a great need to suck.  Orthodontic pacifiers on the market are designed not to interfere with the development of your child’s teeth and haw.  It is easier to wean a child from a pacifier than from a thumb.  However, removing a pacifier doesn’t mean a child won’t suck his thumb.  To use a pacifier effectively be careful not to pop it in whenever your child seems fussy.  Make sure all of her basic needs, such as food, dry clothes and cuddling are met first.  Try to avoid getting your child in the habit of falling asleep with the pacifier in his mouth.  Remove the pacifier when he is sleepy and allow him to completely fall asleep without it.

Most conscientious parents would shy away from using sugar to help their child swallow medicine, even to disguise the bitter taste.  Some even check the medicine itself to ensure there is no added sugar.  But recent research suggests that cough medicine itself could be causing tooth decay in our little ones.

A report in the February issue of General Dentistry suggests that, while helping fix other problems, some kids medicines could be harming their teeth while they work, creating cavities.

But if the medicine doesn’t contain sugar, how can this be?  It’s all to do with the acidity level of the medicine.  The report suggests that many of children’s liquid medicines have low pH levels and high acidity.  This can be bad for children’s teeth, especially if the medicine is given before bed.

Saliva, which usually washes the mouth clean, decreases during sleep, so the medicine can linger much longer in your child’s mouth.  If you still want to continue using liquid medicines though, just follow a few simple steps to ensure tooth safety for your children:

      Try to get your child to take his or her medicine at mealtimes.

      Make sure your child gargles, or swallows, some water after the medicine.

      And best of all, get your child to brush his or her teeth with a fluoride toothpaste  after taking the medicine.

Calcium is essential for bone health throughout our lives. Consumed calcium is stored in our stomachs by the action of stomach acid. From there it converts it into a form that the small intestine can easily absorb for the use of our bodies. The amount of calcium that the body needs all depends on our sex, age and lifestyle. The current recommended daily intake to avoid any defiencies is 800 mg per day. Some expert groups suggest higher doses for optimal bone health.

The following are some calcium rich foods. One serving equals approximately 200 mg of calcium:

• ½ pint homogenized milk = 1 serving
• 1 large yogurt (200ml) = 1 serving
• Tofu (125g) = 1 serving
• 1 portion cooked broccoli (150g) = 1 serving
• 3 slices blocked cheese (40g) = 1 serving
• Baked beans (270g) = 1 serving

To achieve maximum calcium absorption:

• Eat or drink suggested amount of calcium rich foods
• Allow absorption from the gut
• Prevent losses from the bones (certain medications, diet, etc)

To obtain these goals, most children need to increase their calcium they intake on a daily basis. Drinking three 8oz glasses of milk a day is recommended. Calcium is better absorbed during the pubescent years. Calcium also helps support healthy teeth. Pregnant mothers should drink milk or take calcium supplements while the baby is in utero.

 

Young children need a lot of calcium to help aid in the continual growth of jawbones and permanent teeth. When the teeth first form and mineralize, they need a large supply of phosphorus and calcium to form a hard structure. This takes place over some time.

Having the right amount of phosphorus and calcium during growth is crucial for healthy teeth. Calcium makes jawbones healthy and strong. Jawbones need strength to hold teeth in place. Other than phosphorus and calcium, milk also has vitamin A and D in it. Vitamin A is important for the mucous membranes in the mouth, and vitamin D promotes absorption of calcium for health bones and jaw growth.