Five Tips to Improve Oral Health in Children

Oral care in children is a very serious concern throughout the United Kingdom according to Tariq Drabu. Children are being hospitalized to have teeth extracted due to decay. This is

putting unnecessary strain on the NHS for something that is preventative, not to mention putting children through the trauma of being hospitalized for something that could have been prevented in the first place.

The first step to reducing the risk of your child ending up in hospital for a tooth extraction and improving oral health is to start very early, according to Tariq Drabu. Oral care can start in a baby before the first tooth even pushes through the gum. Using a damp wash cloth and rub the gums gently, removing dangerous bacteria which can lead to gum disease and cause oral problems moving forward.

The next step is buy a very soft bristled toothbrush and use it only with water as the teeth start pushing through the gum. Once the first tooth starts appearing, this is the process to take, it gets the child used to having their teeth brushed and also helps remove plaque build up and bacteria from the tooth and surrounding gums.

From here you will want to focus on sending the child for their very first dental appointment, according to Tariq Drabu. This leading dentist recommends that a child should have their first dental appointment at around the age of one, which is when their first tooth has pushed through the gum. This is not only essential to ensure that you learn about effective oral health for the child, but Tariq Drabu recommends it to get the child used to visiting the dentist, reducing fear moving forward.

Toothpaste can be introduced from around the age of two. By this age you will notice the child starts spitting during brushing, often copying what they have seen their parents do hundreds of times. Once they start spitting and copying your mannerisms during brushing, add a small pea size of toothpaste to the brush to improve oral health moving forward.

Tariq Drabu advises that parents do everything in two's to ensure outstanding oral health in children now and moving forward. The two's include brushing twice a day, once in the morning and the second time right before bed. Each brushing should be for two full minutes and children should visit their dentist twice a year to ensure that there is no underlying problems to be concerned about.