When your child starts to get teeth, their teeth will be covered in a coating of enamel, which helps fight against cavities and keep their teeth strong. You’ll want to keep that enamel strong, to prevent cavities and other tooth issues.
Try to limit sugary drinks
Besides the fact that sugary drinks aren’t good for your child’s health, they also wreak havoc on their teeth. Especially because their baby teeth are constantly evolving, you’ll want to keep their teeth in as good of health as possible. Avoid letting them drink drinks with high sugar content, such as soda. Always water down their juice, to lessen the amount of sugar. When they drink a sugary drink, the sugar coats their teeth in a different way than if they were just to eat something containing sugar. This will damage the enamel on their teeth.
Consume a lot of calcium
Calcium is one of the things that will strengthen enamel the best. This is because it neutralizes acid and protects the enamel. Try adding at least one source of calcium to each of your child’s meals. Some great ideas are: dairy, almond milk, fish, kale, or soybeans. If your child is eating a prepackaged meal, check the nutrition facts to ensure that there’s an adequate amount of calcium in it.
Limit citrus consumption
Foods and drinks high in citric acid can erode the naturally occurring enamel on teeth. This is called demineralization. In incredibly bad cases, acid will work it’s way under the soft layer of dentin beneath the enamel. These cases will lead to tooth sensitivity and pain. When your child eats or drinks anything high in citric acid, have them rinse their mouth with water for 30 seconds afterwards, to prevent enamel demineralization.
Brushing and flossing
We all know that’s important to brush and floss regularly to prevent cavities and tooth decay, but it’s also crucial for enamel health. Food particles and bacteria left on your child’s teeth will eat away at the enamel if it’s not regularly removed. This is why it’s important for your child to brush their teeth twice a day, and floss once a day, to get to those hard to reach places and remove any plaque buildup. Another great way to build up the enamel on their teeth and fight cavities, is to use a toothpaste that contains fluoride, once they’re old enough. Fluoride strengthens enamel through a process called remineralization.