Have you heard that only children are at risk of tooth decay? In reality, anyone can have tooth decay—though your children are generally more vulnerable than adults are. In fact, tooth decay is 400% more common than asthma between the ages of fourteen and seventeen. Similarly, 25% of children between one and four have some type of tooth decay while approximately 60% of individuals between twelve and nineteen do.
As you might guess, decay starts with the outside layer of your teeth. When you eat, this hard outer layer—also known as enamel—is worn away. Fortunately, your enamel will remineralize, or rebuild itself. On a related note, please do not brush your teeth for at least thirty minutes after you eat. This will give you teeth time to remineralize. If you don’t wait, you could cause more damage to your teeth than good. However, please don’t misunderstand: brushing your teeth is essential to preventing tooth decay.
Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to help your child stay away from tooth decay. Please remember to help your child brush for two minutes twice a day. Also, please remember that your children may struggle with brushing until they are able to tie their shoes themselves. Also, cut back on sugary foods and drinks and remember to take your child to the dentist once every six months. You should also let your child see you brushing and explain why maintaining good oral health is so important.
Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you would like to learn more about the cause of tooth decay or about what you can do to prevent this problem. We look forward to hearing from you.