Did you know that according to the World Health Organization, tooth decay is the most common disease in the world, even more common than the common cold? Although you cannot take any measures to prevent your child's runny nose, tooth decay is completely avoidable.

Here are 10 simple ways to protect children’s smiles and keep their pearly white healthy...

Eventually, your child's deciduous teeth will fall out, but before they fall out, it is important to have strong, healthy teeth. They play an obvious role in nutrition—chewing is the first step in digestion—and language development. In addition, they are essential for the normal development of jaw bones and facial muscles. Alisha Naidoo, a dentist and lecturer at the Wits School of Oral Health Sciences, explains that every time your child chews, it stimulates the development of facial muscles and jaw-jaw development ultimately creates the space needed for adult teeth.

The deciduous teeth also act as a space holder for adult teeth. Removal of decayed baby teeth means that its neighbors may drift or tilt into crevices. When an adult tooth reaches the surface, it may rotate, migrate to the wrong position, or even be permanently buried under the gums. The long-term goal of all this is expensive orthodontic treatment. In addition, your child’s smile is arguably his most attractive facial expression. It will weaken his confidence, flashing blackened stumps instead of pearly white at the moment of joy. Janet, the dentist and president of the South African Children’s Dental Association Griezman suggested. Start oral hygiene early

Janet said that dental hygiene should be started at birth, during the first bath. Use a moist soft gauze pad or a moist clean cloth wrapped around your fingers to gently wipe the gum pad of your baby's mouth as part of his daily bathing routine.

Breasts or bottles seem to be an integral part of your night life. Nonetheless, after the first tooth has grown, all three pediatric dental associations in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Europe recommend that night feeding be stopped to help sleep or soothe.

When a baby falls asleep with a bottle in his mouth or breasts, milk will accumulate in the mouth and cover the teeth. Instead of swallowing milk and "washing" teeth with saliva, the main decay-forming bacteria in the mouth-streptococci-then turn lactose (lactose) into acid. Dentist Marlon Chetty explained that this in turn will dissolve tooth enamel and cause tooth decay.

The growth of the baby's first tooth (approximately 6 months) usually coincides with the introduction of solid food. Now your baby can stay full for a long time and can gradually separate sleep time from feeding time. 6 months old is also a good time to start introducing cups and stick to them until your baby is comfortable holding the cups and drinking water-around 12 to 14 months old. However, if your child has developed the seemingly unbreakable habit of feeding bottles, just fill it with fresh water, Ma Long suggests.

When it comes to working for young children, fear is the number one issue, so all pediatric dental associations recommend that your child's first visit to the dentist should be within six months of their first tooth, or on their first birthday Before-even if your child has good, healthy teeth.

Seeing a doctor as soon as possible, instead of going to the doctor because of pain and tooth decay, can give your child a chance to adjust to the dental environment. Janet shared that it also gives your dentist the opportunity to build a rapport with your child, making dental surgery easier. Thereafter, children should see the dentist every six months. Regular appointments will ensure that problems are caught early.

Important note: Please do not threaten your child by going to the dentist. Turning the dentist into a "bad guy" will only make the examination more difficult.

Pain, sensitivity to hot, cold or sweet foods and drinks; and pressure sensitivity are all signs of tooth decay. Tooth decay is a tooth infection caused by bacteria. If left untreated, it will continue to grow and spread between the teeth. If you suspect tooth decay or find white spots (a sign of tooth decay), no matter how old your child is, it is important to complete the restoration work as soon as possible.

Toddlers and toddlers do not have the dexterity to brush their teeth correctly. Janet said that you must supervise and/or help them before they are at least six years old, but it is best to be involved for as long as possible.

Some foods are better at "feeding" rotting bacteria than others. Carbohydrates-from healthy carbohydrates such as cereals and high-fiber biscuits, to high-sugar foods such as chewy candies, biscuits and cakes (providing a lot of refined sugar but low nutritional value) provide a veritable feast for bacteria.

When these foods stick to our teeth, the possibility of tooth decay will be greatly increased, because acid-producing bacteria will stay on the surface of the teeth for a long time, causing these areas of the teeth to rot. Nevertheless, wholesome carbohydrates are an essential part of our diet, so when you provide him with snacks such as bread, biscuits, pasta and dried fruits, please give him water. The water "dilutes" the acidity and can remove stuck food.

Alisha suggests that eating some hard cheese after a meal can also help "push" the sticky food on the teeth. As for hard, chewy candies, choose chocolate and then water on weekends or only during snack time.

Juices and other sweetened fruit juices, especially carbonated beverages, contain acid and sugar-a combination that is particularly harmful to teeth and can cause rapid demineralization of the tooth structure. Janet suggested that it is best to avoid offering these drinks in his bottle altogether, especially before he goes to bed at night. In addition, if only water is not feasible, then choose a straw when drinking juice, because it can shorten the time the teeth are exposed to sugar and acid.

Continued “grazing” can breed acid-producing bacteria that cause tooth decay, which is ultimately more harmful to your baby’s teeth than occasional sweets. The frequency of eating sugar and carbohydrate snacks is more harmful to the teeth than the amount of sugar consumed. Therefore, fresh vegetables, dairy products and lean protein snacks such as nuts and turkey are provided more frequently than starch or sugar.

Brushing your teeth correctly is more important than brushing your teeth for a long time. Make sure to brush all surfaces-top, front and back.

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