Ask the Expert: Dental hygiene + kids
Now that Halloween is over, it is time to once again remind parents that children’s teeth decay faster than an adult’s.
Creating a solid toothbrushing routine as early as possible is important and you’ll be setting them up with a healthy habit for life.
In this blog post, we asked a local pediatric dentist Dr. Jennifer Yee from Monarch Pediatric Dental Centre some key questions.
Q: What age should children start brushing their teeth and what should I use?
A: Parents should start brushing their child’s teeth as soon as the first one comes in the mouth. They should do it twice a day with a soft bristle toothbrush and fluoridated toothpaste (grain of rice <3yo, pea size >3yo)
Q: What causes tooth decay?
A: Tooth decay happens when the bacteria in the mouth start forming acids that attack the teeth and form holes. Poor oral hygiene (not brushing or flossing), high sugar diet, no fluoride, genetics, dry mouth
Q: 5 Healthy/non-healthy food for teeth.
A: Healthy: milk, cheese, apple, chicken. Non Healthy: candy, dried fruits, raisins, cakes, potato chips
Q: How do I know if my child is getting fluoride.
A: Water in BC is not fluoridated so the only sources will come from toothpaste or fluoride drops.
Q: Toothpaste: when should we begin using it and how much should we use?
A: Start using it when the first tooth comes in. Under 3 years old, use a smear/ grain of rice size of toothpaste then use a wet cloth to wipe off excess after brushing. Over 3 years old, use a pea size of toothpaste and make sure child is spitting out extra toothpaste.
Q: How often/early should my child see a dentist.
A: Start seeing a dentist within six months of the first tooth eruption or at 1 yo. We recommend visits every 6 months.
Q: What is the difference between a pediatric dentist and a family dentist?
A: Pediatric dentists are the pediatricians of dentistry. A pediatric dentist has two to three years specialty training following dental school and limits his/her practice to treating children only.
If you are looking for a pediatric dentist, we highly recommend Monarch Pediatric Dental Centre. There are three locations:
Monarch Burnaby
Suite 501 – 4980 Kingsway
Burnaby, BC, V5H 4K7
Phone: (604) 430-4980
Fax: (604) 433-4981
Monarch Port Moody
Suite 501 – 205 Newport Drive
Port Moody, BC, V3H 5C9
Phone: (604) 461-4980
Fax: (604) 461-4981
Monarch Surrey
Suite 101 – 15129 100th Avenue
Surrey, BC, V3R 9P4
Phone: (604) 585-4980
Fax: (604) 585-4989
Happy Brushing!
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