If you are a parent, one of your worst nightmares could be a cavity in your child's tooth. Despite making them brush twice, both day and night, they may develop cavities. Cavities in the tooth indeed scare parents. What parents would not want healthy children with sparkling, healthy teeth?

What should you do to avoid tooth decay? Should you visit a dentist? If yes, what is the right age to introduce your child to the dentist?

The right time

Ideally, your child's first visit to the dentist should be after their third birthday. They may detest it and never like it, but it is considered a necessary evil. A smart option is to prepare your child for his first visit to the dentist in Toledo,OH.

Steps for preparation

• Take him for a tour of the dentist's office prior to the actual appointment.
• Read books about dentists and oral hygiene.
• Make him aware of what the dentist will do at the first visit.
• Speak positively about your own experiences at the dentist.

Visiting a dentist in Toledo,OH is a minor part of child dentistry. Daily care to prevent cavities in your little ones is a must. You need not wait until they are three. Daily care must begin from the time the first tooth appears .So, start the daily care now.

Tips to prevent cavities

• Avoid sugary drinks. Milk and water are a healthier option for children under three.
• Avoid leaving a bottle in a child's mouth at bedtime. Cleanse his mouth before he goes to bed. Residues of sugar in the teeth at night can cause tooth decay.
• Start shifting the child from bottles to cups after his first birthday.
• Every time someone eats, an acid reaction happens in the mouth as the bacteria digest the sugars. This process lasts for approximately20 minutes. This acid reaction destroys tooth structure and can eventually lead to cavities. Thus, avoid in-between snacks to avoid excessive acid reaction. Today, fruits, vegetables, yogurt and so forth are substituted with chips, sugar brinks, candies and the like. For healthy teeth, resort to healthy snacks and avoid sticky foods or sugary drinks.
• Brushing regularly is the best way to ensure healthy teeth. Start brushing twice from the time your child's first tooth appears. Pea-sized toothpaste is ideal for little ones. Monitor the brushing till the age of seven or eight. Encourage the child to brush properly with the appropriate strokes.
• Encourage brushing, flossing and rinsing every day, twice a day.
• Often, children hold food in their mouth and do not chew quickly. The more time the food remains in the mouth, the more decay it can cause. Encourage healthy, chewing, biting and eating habits.
• Parents believe that bottled water is healthier than tap water. This is not true. Fluoride is present in tap water and absent in bottled water. Using a filter to clean water is a healthier and safer alternative.
• Avoid juice and formula at night.

A 2010U.S Department of Health and Human Services report states that tooth cavities are five times more chronic than asthma among kids in the U.S. More than 50 percent of children have cavities and tooth decay by the time they are in the second grade. Approximately 25 percent of Wisconsin's Head Start children, ages three and four, have untreated decay, and 33 percent have filled-up cavities.

Time to take a step

Do not postpone your child's dental care. Again, start as soon as his first tooth appears. Tooth decay in children often results in unhealthy permanent teeth too. Healthy baby teeth are essential for healthy permanent teeth. Thus, it is essential for parents to help their children maintain a healthy diet and good oral hygiene.

How frequently do you think children should visit the dentist? Share your views below.