Geelong dentists help children fight tooth decay

A Queensland newspaper recently reported that more than 3000 kids under the age of 10 in the Sunshine State were being admitted to hospital annually to deal with rotten teeth.

The Courier-Mail story makes grim reading, with the Australian Dental Association Queensland’s Ian Meyers labelling dental decay a preventable disease caused by diet and lifestyle choices including too much sugar.

At Wyatt Ryan Dental, our Geelong dentists know it is vital that children establish good oral care from an early age to prevent a build-up of plaque, which leads to tooth decay.

So what can parents do to keep their kids’ teeth and gums healthy? Plenty, is the answer. Here are some easy tips to help prevent tooth decay:

• Get your children to brush their teeth twice a day, after eating breakfast and before they head for bed at night. You should help them brush until they are seven or eight years old.
• Kids should use a soft brush, fluoride toothpaste, a gentle technique and take two or three minutes to complete the process. Replace their toothbrush regularly.
• Introduce flossing when they’re old enough. Ask our Geelong dentists to teach them the correct technique.
• Make sure your children eat a healthy, varied diet and drink lots of water. In fact, a drink of water is an ideal way to end every meal. Fizzy drinks, which are high in both sugar and acid, are tooth decay’s good friend so limit their consumption.
• And make sure you schedule a visit to the dentist every six months. That way, if there are any dental problems, they are picked up swiftly and dealt with.

At Wyatt Ryan Dental, we work hard with parents and children to keep tooth decay at bay. The consequences of tooth decay can be serious and, as The Courier-Mail reports, can lead to hospital admissions to deal with extractions and large fillings.

Please contact Wyatt Ryan Dental’s experienced Geelong dentists to book an appointment today to check your child’s dental health. We are here to help.