The holiday season comes with many perks. It is during this time that children tend to indulge in activities and foods that they are not ordinarily exposed to. Apart from that, parents tend to post-pone important dental procedures such as tooth fillings Las Vegas, and other treatments that they deem to be minor. To ensure that your children get through the holidays without messing their teeth, here are some tips that can help.
Ensure You Carry Your Child’s Toothbrush and Floss With You
The holiday season is an opportune time to impress upon your kids the benefits of brushing and flossing. Since children tend to be over-excited during the holiday season and forget most of the important tasks, you should act like the parent and ensure they always carry their toothbrush and floss. When a toothbrush is not within reach, rinse your child’s mouth with water to keep away all acids, food and sugary particles that may get stuck between their teeth.
Pay Attention To Your Child’s Sugar Intake
Hard candy will never benefit kids’ teeth. This is especially true if your child has dental fillings Las Vegas. Whatever you do, make sure your child does not suck on sugary treats for extended periods of time. Juice and soda should also be limited because of their high sugar concentration. Teach your child to chew sugarless gum to boost saliva and wash away food debris. Cheesy delights like mozzarella sticks are also good for the teeth because they neutralize acids in the mouth.
If your kids must take sugary snacks, you need to protect their teeth from sugary acid attacks. It is important to pay attention to how long your child’s teeth are exposed to sugars. Sugars fuel bacteria that release an enamel-eroding acid. In that case, it is preferable that your child eats a couple of chocolate bars in five minutes than eating a lollipop in the span of one hour.
Choose Water
The best way to cut sugar from a child’s diet is to replace sugary beverages with water. Tooth filings Las Vegas should be kept hydrated with water and not sugary drinks. Kids will get thirsty from outdoor activities and crave for something sweet. Hot cocoa, soda juice, and sports drinks are the preferred drinks for quenching thirst but to cut your child’s intake of sugar, provide them with water more frequently.
Get Extra Fluoride
One way of strengthening your child’s teeth against sugary acid attacks is by giving them extra fluoride. However, you should refrain from giving fluoride products to very small children. Too much fluoride is also dangerous for dental fillings Las Vegas. It is advisable to seek a dentist’s advice on age-appropriate fluoride treatments for your children.
Guard Against Sport Activities
If your child is into sporting activities such as hockey, skating, or martial arts, they are exposed to dangerous impact to the head. Hardcore activities pose a great risk to tooth filings Las Vegas. To guard against accidents, ensure your child wears a mouthguard when engaging in sporting activities.
Be Prepared When Traveling
If you are traveling over the holidays, ensure you pack over the counter pain relievers, gauze, floss, toothbrushes, mouth wash, and fluoride tooth paste. These amenities will ensure that your child’s dental fillings Las Vegas are well cared for. It may also help to get a recommendation from your dentist to other dental clinics in the area you plan to visit.
Honor Dental Appointments
Failing to take your children for a dental exam because its holiday time is the worst decision you could possibly make. If your kids’ checkups occur during the holidays, make sure you honor these appointments. Brushing off minor treatments such as dental fillings Las Vegas, or dental cleanings, may end up ruining your child’s teeth.
Summing It Up
The holiday season is a great time to enjoy the achievements of the year and to pass time doing things people never had the luxury to do in the course of the year. During this time, children tend to indulge a lot in activities and foods they missed out on while in school, or locked at home away from their friends and family. It is at the holiday season that children are highly exposed to foods and activities that could damage their teeth. The tips highlighted above will ensure your children get over the holiday with healthy teeth.
Make sure to call our Las Vegas dental office today and schedule your appointment prior to the holidays.