Children And Cavities
Most children have had a cavity once or twice. A parent might attribute this to the fact that the child is still young or perhaps not brushing his teeth at night like he or she claims. However, there are a variety of reasons why a child might be getting cavities. Parents should do their best to prevent these things from happening in order to maintain the child's overall health and well being.
According to Parents.com, 4 million American preschools have tooth decay. Furthermore, 80 percent of all cavities occur in 25 percent of children. The source explains that one thing causing children to develop cavities is a harmful bacteria passed among family members. The bacteria is called mutans streptococcus and can be transferred to another person when sharing toothbrushes, water bottles or anything that touches the saliva. Therefore, a parent or older sibling should be careful to not share germs with a young child.
"When you have more decay in your baby teeth, there’s a greater likelihood you’ll have decay in your adult teeth. The ability to take care of teeth requires healthy behavior. Unfortunately, we’re not reinforcing healthy lifestyles for our preschoolers," explains Dr. Bruce Dye of the National Center for Health Statistics to MSNBC.com.
In order for parents to reduce the risk of their child developing a cavity, they will have to stay on top of their child's habits, especially right before bedtime. The younger the child is, the more likely he or she will need to be monitored in the morning and at night while brushing his or her teeth. If possible, the child should brush after each meal.
Parents may also want to limit the amount of sugary snacks and juice drinks they give their kids. Not only can the sugar get caught in the teeth for long periods of time, but the acid in juice drinks can be harmful as well.
