While plenty of people go through having cavities without any serious oral health problems, others aren't so lucky. If you want to do what you can to avoid having your child experience cavities or develop tooth staining while they're wearing braces, then follow this simple guide.
Visit General Dentist
One of the first things you should do is to plan on visiting your child's dentist more often. While you'll be seeing the orthodontist on a regular basis for fine-tuning of your child's braces and retainer, that doesn't mean that they'll be cleaning their teeth. That's why you still need to head to a standard dental office.
Your child's dentist will be able to help prevent cavities by removing plaque and tartar deposits that form around the brackets of the braces. This will also help to prevent staining, as the stains can actually be signs of worn-away enamel from an excess of plaque gathering around the brackets.
Wash Retainer
Something you should make sure your child is doing every day at home is washing their retainer or headgear. Bacteria and plaque can accumulate on these devices, and inserting them into the mouth without washing them first can jump-start the development of gum disease and cavities. Even if your child is doing an excellent job of brushing and flossing their teeth every day, if they're not cleaning their orthodontic appliances, then they're doing their oral health a disservice.
To clean these appliances, you can simply brush them like you would your own teeth. Mouthwash can also be used to sanitize headgear and retainers, which will kill more bacteria that can lead to problems for your child's oral health.
Water Flosser
Integrating a water flosser into your child's daily routine can be a helpful way to prevent stains and cavities.
Water flossers are like the home version of the high-powered tools your dentist uses. A high-pressure stream of water shoots out of it, cleaning the teeth.
Water flossers are much easier to maneuver around braces than traditional floss is. It's often something that kids consider to be fun, too. But best of all, water flossers are effective at blasting away the bacteria and plaque responsible for the problems your child could face while they have braces.
If your kid is currently wearing or will be getting braces, work with your kid's dentist to set up a regular schedule of appointments. You can also ask for recommendations on good water flossers that have your dentist's seal of approval.
Share15 October 2019
Halloween is a holiday that my children love, and telling them they can't go door-to-door collecting candy would break their hearts. This led me to allowing them to collect candy on the holiday, then rationing it out to them every day instead of letting them gobble it up in just a few days. I always thought this was better for them, but my dentist told me this could be the reason why their February dental check-ups were always their worst ones. Daily candy consumption was taking a toll on their teeth. I started a new tradition of letting them indulge for two days, then giving them the option to swap the rest with me in exchange for a new toy. They never pass on the opportunity for a new toy. I created this blog to encourage other parents find similar tactics to keep their children's teeth healthy after Halloween.