Dr. Mogell Dental Blog

Boca Raton Cosmetic Dentist

Preventing Cavities In Kids

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Tooth decay among children is skyrocketing after almost 60 years of reduced rates. What has happened that preventing cavities in kids is no longer working?

Rates of childhood tooth decay started to go down when municipal water supplies started adding fluoride. Today, more and more kids are drinking bottled water (or other beverages) instead of tap water. This has dramatically reduced the amount of fluoride they are receiving.

There are lots of things you can do to protect your kids, and yourself, from tooth decay. Delta Dental, the insurance company, studied more than 90 million claims and found:

More than 70% of kids ages 6 to 18 are not receiving 2 fluoride treatments per year
More than 60% of kids ages 6 to 9 did not get sealants on their first molars
More than 80% of kids aged 11 to 15 didn't get sealants on their second molars

These are low cost, preventative measures that can be taken to reduce the risk of tooth decay. Here are a few more things you can do at home to protect your kids (and your own) teeth:

Avoid drinking soda, sports drinks and energy drinks. The acid and sugars destroy teeth!
Avoid constant snacking. This is good for everyone's waistline and their teeth. Having sugary or high carbohydrate snacks throughout the day keeps oral bacteria well fed and growing - not something we want.
Limit sugary treats to mealtimes.
Chew sugarless gum. The chewing action helps remove debris from the teeth and the xylitol in the gum has been shown to help prevent bacteria from sticking to teeth.

Remember, you won't know when you have tooth decay! By the time a tooth starts to hurt because of a cavity it means that the decay has become very advanced which means a larger filling or perhaps a root canal and crown. All members of the family should visit the dentist regularly for cleanings and checkups. Yes, we do need to take x-rays every so often because there is often decay that we can't see.

Contact Dr. Ken Mogell at 561-394-9000 to schedule your next visit.

Labels: mercury fillings, tooth decay