There are many things that you heard on the media or via someone which might not be right all the time. There are many misconceptions regarding the oral health of the children and here are some of them:
“Kids should brush their teeth as soon as they are able.”
The children might not be able to brush their teeth effectively once they have learned so its better to monitor them. They might need your help to brush the far back teeth, so teach them till the time you feel they learned and make the good habits part of their life. Anyway, kids cannot effectively brush their teeth until they can tie their shoes.
“Juice is a healthy choice.”
Even though we know that juices are healthy, but they also contain a high amount of sugar so giving them before bed or throughout the day is not a good idea. Though the juice is watered down to 99% water and 1% juice, it is still the same as regular juice which could lead to tooth decay. So it’s better that they drink water the whole day.
If they do want to drink soda, juice or milk, then they should have them with some snacks in a 20-30 minute period. The more you eat during the day, the more there are chances for cavities as the Ph in your mouth needs adjusting every time after eating.
“Baby teeth are not important because they fall out eventually.”
The baby teeth are essential as the healthier the baby teeth are so would be the adult teeth. This is because the baby teeth are needed up to the age of 12-13 as it affects the adult teeth forming underneath and can cause pain and swelling if the baby teeth are not proper.
“It’s most important for my child to brush their teeth when they wake up.”
Brushing at night is more important than brushing in the morning as if the food particles and sugars sit on teeth all night, the child’s teeth are bound to develop dental caries even faster.
“Kids shouldn’t chew gum.”
Chewing gum is okay as far as it is sugarless as it also helps stimulate saliva flow which helps to wash food particles away and more quickly returns your mouth to a balanced pH.