Amazing Facts About Children’s Oral Health and Pediatric Dentistry

Your child may not know much about oral health. That may be why they make so much fuss when it is time to clean their teeth or visit the dentist. Below are some facts on dentistry that you can share with your child to help them take care of their teeth.

Interesting Facts About Kids Oral Health

• Oral hygiene should start even before the first tooth appears

A hygiene routine should not wait until that tooth appears to start. Instead, gently wipe your infant’s gums after every feeding using a clean washcloth. Once that tooth appears, put a rice-sized dab of toothpaste on it and clean it using a washcloth on your finger. Switch to a kids’ toothbrush and toothpaste as more teeth appear.

• Bad teeth keep your child from smiling.

Kids are embarrassed to smile if the condition of their teeth is not good. For example, a child with cavities and discolored teeth will avoid smiling when around peers or strangers. Some children are even bullied due to the condition of their teeth.

• A baby can have tooth decay even when they do not take sugary things

Baby bottle tooth decay affects infants and toddlers who breastfeed or use a bottle to take milk. Milk remains around the baby’s teeth, especially when they sleep while feeding. It combines with bacteria found naturally in the mouth to form acids which lead to tooth decay.

• Thumb sucking affects oral health

Parents are reluctant to stop kids from sucking their thumbs, fingers, or pacifiers. Although this self-comforting habit keeps your child from fussing much, it leads to teeth alignment issues. If the child’s teeth are misaligned, their oral health suffers. It will not be easy to maintain proper oral hygiene.

• kids should have a dental checkup by their first birthday

It may seem too soon to take your child to a dentist before they turn one, but it is not. Pediatric dentistry in Edmonton, AB, should start once that first tooth erupts or within six months after. The dentist checks for signs of baby bottle tooth decay and other oral health issues. Parents receive advice on dental health care, and kids get used to the dentist early in life.

Fun Facts About Pediatric Dentistry

• The tooth enamel is harder than steel

The white stuff that covers the tooth is the hardest substance in the body. You may wonder why people get cavities if the enamel is that hard. Teeth decay is a process that starts long before you get a cavity. Bacteria and acids slowly eat away the enamel and damage it. Since it cannot repair itself like other body tissues, your enamel may get too damaged.

• The first dentist

History tells us that the first dentist was a man from Egypt whose name was Hesy-Ra. He used twigs as a toothbrush. For toothpaste, he used coral powder and pulverized eggshells. Can you imagine how they straightened their teeth? It is excellent that the dentist in Edmonton, AB, uses modern products and dental equipment to provide kids with great dental health.

• The first trained dental hygienist was a woman

In 1905, Irene Newman became the first dental hygienist in the world. Irene started as a dental assistant and expanded her knowledge. Over the years, others borrowed from her ideas to develop the techniques used at pediatric dentistry near you.

• Kids are born with teeth already in their jaws

At birth, a child has all 20 of their baby teeth hiding under the gums. These teeth are ready to erupt from the gum between six and ten months. By the time the child is three years old, all 20 teeth will have appeared.

• The teeth and tongue are unique

Your tongue and teeth are as unique as your fingerprints. No one else in the world has a set of teeth or tongue prints similar to yours. Yes, not even your parents or your identical twin. So take good care of your teeth and tongue by observing good oral hygiene and visiting the dentist regularly.

• Tooth decay is common

After the common cold, tooth decay is the most common disease that affects kids. It leads to cavities and gum diseases that affect your oral health and also overall health. This disease is largely preventable with pediatric dentistry in Edmonton, AB.

Schedule an appointment with our pediatric dental team at Ellerslie Dental Clinic for all your child’s oral health needs.