My seven year old son has eleven cavities. I brush his teeth. I floss his teeth. I bring him to the dentist. I am at my wits end. What am I doing wrong? My dentist says some children just have bad luck. I can’t think that is all there is to it.
Lucy
Dear Lucy,
I am glad you wrote. Hopefully your pediatric dentist explained to you that while genetics can play a part in what your son is experiencing, there is more to it. You are obviously doing a good job taking care of your son’s teeth. You are doing everything that you have been taught to do. There is one other thing that is equally important. Unfortunately, most people are never taught it’s significance.
One of the best weapons that you have in the fight against decay is your saliva. This contains special minerals which are designed to kill bacteria in your mouth. However, if your son snacks a lot, that means the saliva does not have time to do its job. This includes if he is drinking a lot of sugary beverages, such as sodas or juice.
The best thing that you can do for your son is to limit the snacking your son does. He can drink as much water as he wants but snacks and other drinks should be limited to one or two a day.
Combined with what you are already doing, this will make the biggest difference in your son’s oral health. If he develops a cavity, don’t put off getting it treating. Otherwise it could turn into a dental emergency.
This blog is brought to you by Parma Dentist Dr. Rebecca Gecovich.