Practical ways to help your children and their teeth

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 261, 1 November 1988, Page 8

Practical ways to help your children and their teeth

Over the past three or four years there has been an increased parental awareness of the state of childrens teeth.

This has been reflected in the reduction of the number of fill- ■ ings required. However in a recent survey figures revealed that the number of children requiring fillings in their permanent teeth i s h i g h e r i n Ohakune/Raetihi, than other areas in the Waimarino and Wanganui districts. We are very concerned with these results and in this article will try to point out a few practical ways to help you help your children in preventing dental decay FLUORIDE We recommend the use of fluoride tablets for strong healthy teeth from the age of six months to 12 years. To begin with give half a tablct daily from six monlhs. It is probably easier to crush the tablet and sprinkle it over food rather than trying to dissolve it. From the age of two - four years the dosage should be one tablet daily, to be sucked after brushing teeth and bcfore going to bed. Children from 4-12 years, two tablets daily again to be sucked slowly. Teeth benefit from the local effect of1 sucking the tablet rather than just swal-

lowing, this is really beneficial for newly erupting teeth. The use of fluoride tablets has been thoroughly researched and it is a completely safe and effective way to help your child to keep free from dental decay. Fluoride is a trace element found naturally in many water supplies throughout the world, but because New Zealand water supplies have a very low level of natural fluoride some city water supplies have had fluoride added. The amount is very minimal, one part fluoride to 1,000,000 parts water. This is very stringently monitored and has proved to reduce decay in these areas. A good comparison would be that it was found early this century that New Zealanders were suffering from the effects of iodine deficiency, causing goitre. To counteract this, small amounts of iodine were added to table salt which has meant that the goitre condition is virtually unheard of today. Similarly the addition of fluoride in eithcr water supplies or tablet form definitely reduces tooth decay. Because t h e Waimarino water sup-

ply is not fluoridated we recommend the use of fluoride tablets. TOOTH BRUSHING By encouraging your young children to brush their teeth reeu-

larly, you are setting a good life-long habit. It is advisable to allow your young child t o watch parents cleaning their teeth and encourage them to copy. Be very careful when

assisting your child to brush their teeth, as too vigorously scrubbing can be very painful in mouths that have erupting teeth. It is more important for your child to enjoy cleaning their teeth than to expect skillful brushing. Correc: methods come later on.

Toothbrushing before bed is vitally important as the flow of saliva almost stops during sleep, therefore any food or drink remains around teeth and cannot be naturally washed away by saliva. It is important not to give your children anything to eat o r

drink after toothbrushing so that their teeth benefit from the coating of fluoride from the toothpaste. More useful ideas on the prevention of dental decay will be published in further Health Watch columns. by dental nurses Kate

Lourie &

Jenny

> Dekker