CHILDHOOD cavities are not harmless – studies show that children who have cavities at a young age are three times more likely to have them as adults.
Practising good oral care from infancy into adulthood as part of overall health is simple and easy. Unfortunately, many fail to see that poor oral health has far-reaching consequences,
What's more,The Malaysian National Oral Health Survey of Preschool Children (NOHPS) reports that 71.3 per cent of 5-year-olds already have cavities.
Dr Yogeswari Sivapragasam, senior lecturer and consultant in paediatric dentistry, school of dentistry, International Medical University (IMU) says we cannot isolate oral care from the rest of the body. Oral health and general health are interlinked.
Overall health literacy, a healthy diet and good personal hygiene including good oral care habits all contribute towards overall health and wellbeing.
"It is essential to establish good oral care habits from infancy, with daily hygiene and preventive care as part of everyday life," she says.
This will make oral care a natural part of life, allowing parents to gradually entrust children to continue these healthy habits into adulthood and for the rest of their lives.
Here are some tips for parents:
Start them young (from birth)
It's easy to overlook oral care in babies – after all, they won't have teeth till months later. However, babies should still have their gums cleaned at least twice a day. This helps set the foundation for a lifetime of daily oral cleaning routines.
Say "no" to salt and added sugar
As children – and their teeth – grow, exposure to new foods is natural, as their diet expands in accordance with their changing nutritional needs. However, it is important to introduce new foods gradually and mindfully.
Delaying the introduction of added salt and sugar into your child's diet so they do not develop a liking for these flavours early in life. A lifelong preference for sweet foods can lead to higher risk of dental problems.
Make dental visits fun and regular
It is quite common for adults to have an aversion to visiting the dentist, and this may have developed from their own negative experiences. However, it is important that parents put aside their personal fears and help create a positive experience for their child.
Children should receive their first dental check-up when they are one year old. Thereafter, a check-up is advisable every six months. As it is unlikely that they will have any dental problems at this young age, these visits will help young children to have a positive experience rather than associate dental visits with pain and fear.
Be alert to behavioural changes
Children sometimes refuse certain foods or refuse to brush their teeth. While this may be easily explained as the child being fussy or picky, there could be another reason behind it. A child with cavities or gum disease may experience chronic discomfort or pain, causing them to avoid
foods that require chewing. This may inadvertently lead them to avoid whole foods such as apples and chicken, and choose softer foods instead, many of which are processed and contain higher levels of salt, sugar and fat.
Long-term pain can also cause irritability, or affect their ability to concentrate during lessons in preschool. In addition, poor oral health can also affect a child's self-esteem if they are teased due to their stained or rotten teeth.
Dr Yogeswari also cautions against the common misconception that milk teeth are not important as they will drop out after a number of years and stresses that establishing a lifetime of healthy oral health habits begins in childhood.
Here's her advice for oral care at different ages:
After birth, before baby's teeth develop
Use a clean, damp cloth wrapped around a finger, gently wipe the gums in the morning and at night.
After the first teeth appear
Use a baby-friendly toothbrush with a toothpaste that contains fluoride to gently brush the teeth and gums at least twice a day.
Preschool age
At this age, children are able to hold a toothbrush but will need their parents to manually guide them on how to do so thoroughly.
School-going age
By this time, children should be able to brush their teeth independently, with supervision from parents.