Living a healthy life with diabetes

Posted on: 20 January 2017

Dental emergencies are often painful, and they can occur at any time of the day irrespective of the hour. A dental emergency is generally regarded as any tooth- or mouth-related injury that requires immediate medical attention, ranging from loose or dislodged teeth, to avulsed or knocked-out teeth, to chipped or broken teeth, to lost filling, to broken dentures, to painful tooth infections, and so forth. 

Toothache resulting from tooth decay is a common problem in emergency paediatric dentistry. As a parent, seeing your little one in pain is naturally a very distressing situation you would want to avoid. The best way to protect your child from the pain caused by an aching tooth is to maintain good oral hygiene and practice preventative habits. 

Here are some useful advice you can use to make sure your child's teeth stay healthy and decay-free.

Teach them how to brush and floss properly

As an adult, brushing and flossing your teeth might be one of those simple personal hygiene tasks that you perform every day. But you should keep in mind that you were not born good at doing them. It took you time, practice and patience before you could be able to brush and floss your teeth just like a pro. For that reason, you should teach your little one how to brush and floss as soon as they grow teeth. Little ones can take time to master the skill and they can be quite stubborn too, so be patient with them.

You will need to get them a soft-bristled brush and toothpaste that is gentle on their gums. Be sure to supervise them through every step of the tooth brushing process. Instruct your child to apply gentle force when brushing, to spit out and do not swallow the toothpaste, and to thoroughly rinse their mouth with clean water once they are done brushing – you can also teach your child any other trick you might have up your sleeve. Your child does not need to floss as regularly as they brush their teeth, but make sure they do it at least once a day. 

Watch their diet

Some foods and drinks are not good for your little one's teeth. Foods and drinks high in sugar content can cause rapid decay of baby teeth, so it is important to limit their consumption. Feed your child with healthy foods like vegetables, fruits and grains instead of sugary foods such as chocolate bars, candy, sweets, and biscuit cakes. Make sure your child takes lots of pure water in the course of the day. This is a nice natural way to cleanse the mouth.

If your child complains about severe toothache, make sure they see a paediatric dentist, like one from Dental Smile Clinic, immediately.