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The mouth’s of babies are somewhat of a clean slate. You have the opportunity as a parent, aunt, uncles, grandparents, and/or caretakers to set the children in your life on a path of fantastic dental care. Beginning little ones on a regimen of regular brushing and flossing from the time they’re a toddler, instills good habits easily. Taking children in for their six month dental checkups without fail will likely remain a part of their lives for years to come. What happens if dental health care is neglected, or if cavity occurs in spite of a parent’s best efforts? They are baby teeth, after all. Shouldn’t you just let them fall out on their own? The Riverside pediatric dentists at Riverside Dental Group will tell you that you will probably still want to consider fillings if your baby should end up with a cavity.

Dental Care for Toddlers

Baby teeth need to be cleaned regularly, just the same as permanent teeth. Before a child is old enough to spit, you can use water and a soft toothbrush designed for toddlers. If your pediatric dentist gives you the okay, you can start using a small dollop of fluoridated toothpaste. Your child should begin regular biannual checkups by the time they turn two. Some parents make the mistake of thinking that if their child is exclusively breast fed, they are immune to dental health issues. Breast milk and formula both have naturally occurring sugars. Additionally, little fruit snacks and crackers that claim to be healthy for young children can actually sit on top of and between teeth and cause decay issues. If your child should end up with a cavity, try not to beat yourself up, but rather learn from your mistakes moving forward.

Fillings for Baby Teeth

So what should you do if your toddler or young child is diagnosed with a cavity on one of their baby teeth? Don’t wait to take action. They will most likely need a filling. There can be severe consequences from letting tooth decay run rampant. Pain and long term dental sensitivity can be a problem long after their tooth has finally fallen out or been extracted. Ignoring tooth decay can also be an issue in terms of the development of painful dental abscesses. These infections can result in a pimple-like bump on gum tissue that is usually extremely unpleasant and requires antibiotics and possible extraction. None of these things are fun for a baby that doesn’t exactly understand what’s going on. You can save your child this trouble by keeping on top of their oral health.

Visit your Riverside Dentists

If you struggle with halitosis (bad breath), visiting your dentist every six months will help you fight the annoying condition by keeping your mouth free of bacteria. We can also examine you for any underlying oral health issues that might be causing your chronic bad breath. Call our 92504 dentist office at (951) 689-5031 for all of your dental care needs.