How Parents Can Improve Dental Knowledge For Their Kids' Benefit

Here's a one question pop quiz: are cavities contagious?

Most people would say no to this question, but the truth is that they can be. Which is why dentists recently put together a three question quiz about dental health, that is designed for parents so that they can educate their kids. We wrote last week about how even young children should go see a qualified dentist, but infant dental care begins at home, and its important for parents to be able to pass on accurate information about dental health.

The answer to the first question is yes because cavities come from bacteria, which can be spread through sharing food, sharing utensils, or through any mouth-to-mouth contact. The second question is, can juice and other drinks give kids cavities. The answer again is yes, because those drinks often have sugar in them. The final question is, can kids brush their own teeth. The answer to that is no; children need help and supervision when brushing their teeth up until past Kindergarten. 

The cosmetic dentists in our midtown Manhattan dental office love working with children, and do everything they can to affect an environment that is friendly to them when they come in for regularly sheduled check ups. But we ask our patients to help us protect their childrens' teeth. And just knowing these simple things improves the safety of your child. That's what they mean when they say knowledge is power!