Fluoride prophylaxis

Fluoride is a naturally occurring substance that, according to World Health Organization guidelines, when used correctly and regularly in early life (as early as 6 months), helps tooth enamel become more resistant to tooth decay. Fluoride is found in drinking water, mineral water, beverages, foods, toothpastes, gels, and specific mouthwashes.

Diet

Can diet help keep teeth healthy?

Of course! It plays a crucial role in preventing tooth decay and therefore in a child's oral health.

Limiting your intake of sweets and candy, sugary drinks, and fruit juices, and being careful about your intake of certain fruits, which are particularly high in sugar, is very helpful.

Eliminating all these foods is not correct, but you can teach your children to brush their teeth after eating, even at snack time.

It should also be remembered that the cariogenic effect is linked to the level of acidity of foods: all carbonated drinks or sports supplements, tea and all freeze-dried preparations create an acidic environment that weakens tooth enamel and facilitates the proliferation of bacteria that are therefore extremely harmful to your children's teeth (and yours).

Further small precautions and healthy food choices are:

• Give children fruits and vegetables containing a high water content, even as a snack: pears, melons, celery, and cucumbers are best.
• Cheese, though not in excess, is a good ally: it helps stimulate saliva flow. Saliva helps wash away food debris from the teeth. It also contains calcium and reduces acidity in the mouth.
• Avoid sticky foods: raisins, dried figs, granola bars, peanut butter cookies, caramel, honey, molasses, syrup, etc., make the saliva's initial cleaning of the teeth more difficult. If your child consumes these types of products, he or she should brush his or her teeth immediately after eating.
• It's best to eat sweets immediately after a meal, as a dessert: saliva production increases after eating, making it easier to eliminate residue.
• Always choose water over other beverages: juices, sodas, and milk contain sugar. Water won't damage your teeth and also helps wash away some food debris.
• Include calcium-rich foods to strengthen your teeth: good sources are milk, broccoli, and yogurt.

Bad habits

The first years of a child's life are crucial for learning proper hygiene and cleaning habits that will be useful throughout their lives.

Parents therefore have the responsibility to teach their children the importance of care and prevention, remembering to take their child for their first visit around 4-5 years of age. The dentist can support the family in teaching their young patient proper daily brushing, as well as monitoring their oral health and ensuring their teeth are properly positioned.

• NEVER give a baby a pacifier dipped in honey or sugar, even when teeth have not yet erupted.
• NEVER put your baby to sleep with a bottle of chamomile tea or other sugary drinks.

These habits cause the so-called “bottle-feeding syndrome”: the child’s front teeth quickly decay and become decayed due to the sugar administered in this way.

Wean your baby off the pacifier around 12 months of age and teach him to drink from a cup rather than a bottle shortly thereafter: this can help reduce or completely avoid misalignment and malocclusion problems caused by bad habits.

Also try to correct the habit of thumb sucking, paying particular attention during sleep.