Reasons Why Your Child Still Has Cavities
If you've just gotten home from taking your child to the dentist, and you're stunned because your child had a cavity even though they have become very good about brushing and flossing, don't worry. It's actually common for people, including children, to be very good about dental care and to still have cavities.
No One's Perfect at Tooth Care
The most likely reason your toothbrush-wielding child still ended up with cavities? No one's perfect at dental care. Chances are, your child did their best but still missed a spot. That's actually common as the crevices in molars and the ends of the very back teeth can be difficult to clean.
Sometimes People Are Just Prone to Getting Cavities
Your child could have that dental-care routine that is as close to perfect as is humanly possible, but some people are just more prone to getting cavities. Unfortunately, there's no way around that except to keep bringing your child to the dentist at least twice a year for pediatric dental exams and making certain the child continues to brush and floss daily.
You and the Child Might Be Too Vigilant
Teaching your child to brush twice a day and form good dental care habits is the right thing to do, but you and your child could be too good at dental care in a way. You may have grown up hearing advice to brush after every meal, but the truth is, you want to wait at least half an hour after eating before you brush. If you brush before that, you could end up damaging your tooth enamel and making it more likely that a cavity will appear, and the same goes for your child's teeth.
When your child eats something, acids in the food can actually make the enamel more susceptible to damage. If the child then brushes, even with a soft-bristled toothbrush, they could end up scratching the enamel layer. The resulting damage allows bacteria to create more decay in that spot. So, by brushing after eating, your child may actually have created more damage unintentionally.
Instead, have the child brush before they eat. Your child will avoid the acidity issue and may even help protect their teeth against those acids. Just teach the child to floss after eating to remove food that's gotten stuck between their teeth.
Ensuring your child has pediatric dental exams every year is essential for cavity control. The dentist can spot patterns and talk to your child about why those cavities might have occurred, which will help the child take better care of their teeth.
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