Cavity Prevention

Oral Hygiene:
• Brush twice daily. Once before breakfast and once after dinner.
• Floss once daily. If you never floss, start flossing at least once a week!
• If your child is younger than 8 yrs old, you will need to help them brush and floss.

Fluoride:
• If your child eats his/her toothpaste they should use a non-fluoride “safe to swallow” toothpaste.
• In children 6 yrs and older a fluoride rinse (Act, Listerine Total Care) may also be used each night to help strengthen the enamel.
• Every 6 months your child should receive a topical fluoride application when he/she comes in to the dentist for a check up and cleaning. This helps strengthen the enamel of the teeth.

Diet:
• Sugary foods should be kept to a minimum. Foods such as sodas and sticky candies are especially harmful. Our recommendation is eating candy no more than 2 times per week.
• Avoid constant snacking or “grazing” as this weakens teeth and contributes to decay.
• Be sure that your child is not consuming anything other than water before bedtime or while falling asleep. Milks and juices contain sugars that can cause decay if allowed to sit on your child’s mouth all night.

Keeping your child’s teeth healthy:
• Your child must continue with regular dental check ups every 6 months. These check ups will help you and your child identify problems early and help build a relationship between the dentist and your child. Our goal is to prevent problems from happening in the future.