Causes and Ways to Take Care of Cavities in Children

Every parent wants their children to enjoy strong and healthy teeth. Unfortunately, children are more prone to cavities because the enamel in their milk teeth is weaker than the enamel in adult teeth. Plus, children’s awareness to maintain healthy teeth and mouth is still low, so the risk of children experiencing high cavities. Therefore, it is important for parents to know the various causes of cavities and what you can do to protect your child’s teeth.

Causes of cavities in children
The bacteria in your child’s mouth naturally multiply, forming a sticky substance called plaque. This plaque can coat the surface of the teeth. Along with the habit of children eating sweet foods and drinks, the bacteria on the plaque will also produce acid. The acid found on the plaque will slowly erode the hard enamel and make holes in the teeth. Untreated tooth damage will worsen and can cause tooth loss.

In general, the causes of cavities in children are triggered by many interrelated factors. Some of the factors that cause cavities in children that parents need to know include:

● Eat Sweet Food Habits
Children love eating sweet foods and drinks such as milk, ice cream, cakes, chocolate, cereals, and so on. In fact this habit can cause bacteria in the mouth to produce more acid which in turn triggers tooth decay.

● Lack of Drinking
In addition to eating habits and sweet drinks, lack of fluid intake can also be a cause of cavities in children. Low fluid intake causes little production of saliva in the mouth. Though saliva helps fight acids produced by bacteria in the mouth.

● Drinking Bottles to Sleep
One of the most common causes of cavities in children is the habit of drinking bottled milk at the age of the baby to sleep. Sugar contained in milk can settle into destructive acids to trigger cavities.

● Not Brushing Teeth Clean
The back teeth are one of the most vulnerable teeth with holes because these teeth tend to have many grooves and cracks. As a result, the back teeth are difficult to reach with a toothbrush. If the child does not brush his teeth clean, plaque and bacteria will nest there. In the end it can be a cause of cavities.

● Fluoride deficiency
Children aged 3 years or more can use toothpaste containing fluoride. Of course in a small amount. Fluoride itself is a natural mineral that helps prevent cavities and even repair tooth decay experienced by children in the early stages.

What are the symptoms of cavities in children?
In general, cavities will depend on how big the hole is formed and where it is located. Usually the earliest sign of tooth decay is the presence of white spots on one or several teeth. The appearance of white spots on the teeth indicates that the tooth enamel starts to break down. White spots will gradually change to brownish spots accompanied by the appearance of holes. The deeper the hole, the darker the color.

Small holes may not cause symptoms. However, if the hole formed is large, it usually causes symptoms such as:

Toothache, especially when the child chews food or when he presses his teeth.
Children’s teeth become very sensitive.
Children often feel tooth pain spontaneously without knowing the obvious cause.
Mild to sharp pain when children eat or drink something sweet, hot, or cold.
Caring for cavities in children
Basically the way to cope with cavities in children depends on their age and severity. If new yellowish / brown spots appear on the teeth, brushing your teeth regularly at least twice a day using fluoride toothpaste is the best solution.

Fluoride toothbrushes can be used in children aged 3 years. However, use just a little, about the size of a corn seed. If the child is over 3 years old, you can add a dose of toothpaste to the size of a pea. Teach children to rinse and remove water after brushing their teeth. Also convey to the child that toothpaste is not food, so he may not swallow it. Generally children can be taught to rinse when they are 2 years old.

Meanwhile, if the child often complains of toothache to cause disturbed daily activities, this means that tooth decay experienced by the child is advanced. If this is the case, the child must immediately be taken to a pediatric dentist (Sp. KGA). Pediatric dentists generally have rooms and equipment specifically designed with cheerful colors, so they can attract their hearts. This certainly makes the child feel comfortable to do a dental check.

The treatment and treatment performed by the doctor will be adjusted to the psychological and condition of the child’s teeth. The dentist may empty the damaged part and patch or pull it out.

Preventing cavities in children
The key to preventing cavities in children is to combine oral hygiene and a healthy diet. This can be done by:

● Teach Diligent Children to Brush Teeth
Children must be taught to brush their teeth twice a day early. Plant it to always brush your teeth in the morning and evening. Children generally have started being taught to brush their teeth since their first four teeth grew. You can help brush your child’s teeth and slowly let him learn to do it himself. But if your baby’s teeth have not yet grown, you can get used to gently cleaning the gums with a soft cloth every time you finish feeding.

This habit is actually easy, it’s just difficult to run consistently. Given that children have moods that tend to be unstable. If he is excited today, not necessarily the next day he feels the same way. Now, so that children are more eager to apply these good habits every day, you have to make the routine of brushing your teeth a pleasant habit. This can be started from the selection of a child’s toothbrush and toothpaste that matches his favorite character. It must be understood that children are great imitators. So if you want your child to apply this good habit, then you have to apply it too.

● Recommend Healthier Foods
Because bacteria on plaques eat sugar and starchy foods and soft drinks, try to start introducing healthy foods that are rich in nutrients to children. Healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables in addition to being rich in nutrients can also help mineralize your child’s saliva. This helps prevent tooth decay caused by plaque.

Some children may not like to eat vegetables because they tend to be tasteless. Well, here is the task of parents to think creatively in making food menus that can attract small hearts.

No less important, teach children to routinely check their teeth to the doctor every 6 months. So, don’t wait until your child feels a toothache and then you take him to the dentist. Remember, the earlier teeth and mouth problems are detected, the easier the treatment will be. This can also prevent further tooth decay in the future.

Makes Good Oral Hygiene As Part of Routines
Keeping oral hygiene every day is important. Many parents assume that damage to the milk teeth is only temporary and will disappear by itself when the child’s permanent teeth grow. As a result, the health of your baby’s teeth and mouth is often overlooked. In fact, damaged milk teeth will affect the growth and development of their permanent teeth later.

Therefore, you need to teach children to diligently brush their teeth from the first tooth they grow. When they can brush their own teeth, you still need to monitor them until they are six years old.

Make sure they:

Drink lots of water after eating.
Brush their teeth twice a day, morning after breakfast and the night before going to sleep for at least 2 minutes.

Brushing the surface of each tooth using a toothbrush that fits in their mouth. Pepsodent Toothbrush is specifically designed for children. Toothbrush must be replaced every two to three months or after the brush has expanded.

Use fluoride toothpaste (for children over two years). Pepsodent Kids offers a series of fluoride toothpastes that help prevent damage to teeth.
Using floss is something that children tend to avoid, but it is important to do it every day to prevent the formation of plaque between teeth due to accumulated food debris.

Don’t forget, routinely check your child’s dental and mouth health to the doctor every 6 months.
If you can instill the habit of cleaning your teeth properly, they will be able to treat their own teeth and gums. This will prevent tooth decay early, so that they can enjoy healthier and wider smiles during the years ahead.

5 Ways to Care for Cavities

Cavities are conditions that indicate damage to tooth enamel, aka the hard outer layer of the teeth. This condition can be a problem in children, adolescents, and adults. The bacterial layer that attaches to the teeth, or the so-called plaque, will continue to form on your teeth. When you eat or drink something that contains sugar, the bacteria in the plaque will produce acids that attack the enamel of the teeth. Plaque sticking will make these acids continue to come into contact with your teeth, and at any time the tooth enamel will break and produce holes in the teeth.

5 Ways to Care for Cavities

Cases of cavities are more commonly known among children, but tooth changes that occur due to aging can make cavities also become an adult problem.

Causes of cavities
According to Dr. Edward Mellanby, Dr. Weston Price, and Dr. Ragel Ramiel, there are 4 main factors that can cause tooth decay, namely:

Lack of minerals in diet (lack of calcium, magnesium deficiency and phosphorus deficiency)
Lack of fat soluble vitamins such as vitamins A, D, E, and K (especially vitamin D)
Too much food is rich in phytic acid
Consume too much processed sugar
How to treat cavities

1. Take lots of vitamin D
Vitamin D is important for building strong teeth and bones, because it is a major factor in healing cavities. Vitamin D can also help prevent gum inflammation because it is anti-inflammatory.

Calcium flows in and out of your teeth to the parts of the body that need it, and vitamin D regulates this process. When we lack vitamin D, your teeth won’t get calcium, and what’s worse, calcium in your teeth will be taken by other body parts. When this continues, you will develop periodontal disease and weakened teeth.

Vitamin D is also responsible for creating cementum that binds teeth to the bones in your mouth. The gene that controls periodontal disease is regulated by vitamin D-controlled receptors.

We can get Vitamin D with morning sunlight, cod liver fermentation oil, vitamin D supplements, tuna, fortified milk, egg yolks, and beef liver.

2. Take lots of vitamins K1 and K2
Dr. Weston Price calls vitamin k “X-Factor”. His research describes the case history of a 14-year-old girl who has 48 cavities. The girl consumed vitamin K extract, high-vitamin butter oil, and cod liver fermentation oil three times a day for 7 months. The result is tooth decay and mineralized teeth (48 cavities are cured and 24 teeth have new tooth enamel).

Studies show that vitamin K can utilize special proteins that have the ability to distribute calcium and phosphorus to teeth and bones. Dr. Price found that calcium and phosphorus imbalances would cause a number of diseases in the body, such as cavities and dental infections.

We can get vitamin K from kale, spinach, mustard greens, collard green, green beets, green radishes, paterseli, broccoli, cabbage, beef, eggs, cheese, butter, cod liver oil fermentation and vitamin K supplements.

3. Avoid foods that cause cavities
Avoid foods that can cause tooth decay, such as:

Sugar and carbohydrates. Both can make changes in blood sugar which results in the closure of mineral flow in the teeth.
Phytic acid. A mineral blocker and enzyme blocker that can cause serious health problems. Phytic acid can be found in grains and peanuts.
Processed vegetable oil. When heated, free radicals created by heat will become very toxic. Processed vegetable oil which is dangerous if heated is corn oil, cottonseed oil, and soybean oil.
Fast food. Glycerin contained in it can inhibit calcium in mineralizing your teeth.
4. Drink alkaline (alkaline) water
Many young children experience decaying teeth at an early age. Those who grew up drinking acidic water, even if only slightly, would suffer tooth loss at an alarming rate.

Alkaline water has a pH of 8 or more. By consuming alkaline drinking water, you can neutralize the acid in the mouth which makes the cavities worse. Alkaline water can also support strong teeth and bone growth.

5. Try oil pulling therapy
This therapy has been used for centuries by Ayurveda medicine. Oil pulling is a very popular detoxification procedure. This therapy is done by gargling using one spoon of oil for 20 minutes. This simple detox procedure has been trusted to cure dental problems, headaches, and diabetes.

5 Steps to Effective Dental Care Avoid Cavities

Lazy to maintain dental health and do dental treatment, can cause cavities. If this is the case, over time toothache can occur, and eating feels bad.

5 Steps to Effective Dental Care Avoid Cavities

Teeth are one of the important organs in the human body that function to cut and destroy food, so that it is easily swallowed well. Perforated teeth can interfere with pleasure while eating. Therefore, you need to take several steps to routine dental care to avoid cavities.

How to Take Care of Teeth
Here are five easy steps for dental care that you can do to maintain healthy teeth to avoid cavities:

Brush your teeth after eating
Maybe you often hear that brushing your teeth should be done twice a day, which is when you wake up and before going to bed. But actually, to prevent cavities, it is recommended to brush your teeth at least every time you eat, and don’t forget to clean your teeth with dental floss. However, if you cannot brush your teeth after each meal, at least gargle with water to remove leftover food in your mouth.

Clean teeth with gargling
In addition to brushing your teeth, rinse your mouth with liquid cleaning solution. Gargling is powerful enough to remove plaque and bacteria from the mouth. Gargling is no less important than brushing teeth.
Plaque produces acid that causes cavities, which if left unchecked can also interfere with the gums. Finally, not only is the tooth problematic, but also your gums. By gargling, the part of the mouth that is not reached by a toothbrush can be cleaned.

Use toothpaste containing fluoride
Your teeth need protection in the tooth enamel. Enamel itself is the outermost layer of the tooth. Fluoride will protect your teeth from acidic compounds that can cause tooth decay, by preventing bacteria on the plaque from producing acid. Fluoride can also help improve the enamel layer to strengthen tooth protection.
However, for children, it is advisable to consult a dentist first, to find out the safe limits of using toothpaste containing fluoride in children. Because if it’s excessive, fluoride is also not good for your child’s dental health.

Avoid foods that cause cavities
Doing a few steps of dental care above is not enough if you do not avoid foods that cause cavities. For example, sweet foods and foods that can stick to the gaps of your teeth (eg candy, cakes, chocolate, and chips). When you consume sweet foods or drinks, the bacteria in your mouth will produce acids that can damage your tooth’s enamel.
In addition to avoiding foods that trigger cavities, consume foods that are good for dental health, such as vegetables, fruit, milk, cheese, and water. You can also replace your favorite candy with gum that can help clean up the remaining food particles from the mouth.

Check your dental and oral health regularly with your doctor
Doing a routine dental check can be one way to avoid cavities and is a good step of dental care. With routine dental examinations, dental problems can be detected early so they are easier to handle. If the examination found that the teeth are prone to holes, the doctor will provide more protection to the teeth in the form of sealants. Sealants are protective gear jackets that function to protect tooth enamel from acids and plaques that can cause tooth decay.
Doing dental treatment does not have to wait until the teeth are damaged, or to interfere with the pleasure of eating. Begin to maintain your teeth and mouth health by routinely doing dental care above. In addition, avoid foods that can damage teeth, because it can not only interfere with your dental health, but can also interfere with your body’s health.