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Caries is the most widespread disease of civilized communities, affecting well over 90% of their population. It is also the most common chronic childhood disease.

So, what can you do to stop your kids from getting cavities?

Fortunately, dental caries is a preventable infectious disease which requires four factors to be found together: the tooth, carbohydrates, bacteria, and time.

So, to prevent cavities, you have to work on these factors. Here we will discuss them one by one.

The tooth: teeth should be strong, with no very deep pits and fissures.

To increase tooth strength and resistance to cavities, you should consider fluoride application. Fluoride absorbs into the enamel’s crystals, making it more resistant to demineralization by bacterial acids (the first stage of decay).

So, how your kid can get fluoride supplements?

Water intake: If you live in an area where the water is fluoridated, then your kid will receive sufficient fluoride by drinking normal amounts of water every day.

Toothpastes: There are many types of toothpaste which contain fluoride. Only a pea- or half a pea-sized amount of paste should be used, to avoid excessive fluoride intake. Now there are a toothpastes especially for kids with a lower concentration of fluoride.

Fluoride gels or fluoride varnishes in the dental clinics: Ask your dentist for prophylactic fluoride application if you do not live in an area with fluoridated water. It is advised to be done every six months.

Pit and fissure sealants: If your kid has deep pits and fissures in their teeth, he/she will be more susceptible to dental cavities; so, we have to seal them to prevent food accumulation. It is very easy and usually takes one visit.

Carbohydrates: These are the main fuel source for the cavity-causing bacteria. Some carbohydrates are of particular interest, like sugars.

Of course you can’t stop your kid from eating sweets, but there are some things you can do to help prevent decay:

You can use sugar substitutes like sorbitol and xylitol, which are less cariogenic (decay-causing) than the usual sucrose.

You can also decrease the frequency of sweet intakes. Many studies have proved that the frequency is a much more important factor in controlling cavities than the amount of sugar intake.

You can also try to avoid the sticky foods which stay longer on the tooth surface, making them more harmful.  

Bacteria: These are the third essential factor, and are found normally in our mouth, but we have to prevent them from adhering to the tooth surface and having time to make cavities, by preventing plaque accumulation.

So, you have to brush your kid’s teeth after meals, especially those with high sugar content and sticky food. After toothbrushing, also brush the anterior part of the tongue to remove food and bacteria from it.

Sometimes the brush can’t reach the interdental areas, so you have to use inter-dental aids like dental floss, toothpicks, and inter-dental brushes.

You can also use anti-plaque mouth rinses or dentifrices which contain phenolic compounds or fluorides.

Time: For bacteria to act on the carbohydrates and cause cavities, they need to stay on the teeth for sufficient time. So brush your kid’s teeth after each meal and especially before going to bed.

By following the above advice, you can stop your kids from getting cavities.  

Contact a dentist or dental hygienist at Water Brook Dental in Washington DC for a dental check-up and other dental needs. Water Brook Dental has two locations in Washington DC. The Columbia Heights location is very  conveniently located to Downtown DC, Northeast DC, Adams Morgan, Dupont Circle, Logan Circle, U-Street Corridor, Mount Pleasant and many other parts of Washington. The Eastern Ave NW location is conveniently located to Downtown Silver Spring, Takoma Park MD, Silver Spring MD, Colesville, and other parts of Maryland as well as Northern Virginia and other parts of Virginia.