How Your Oral Therapist Can Save Parents Money
How Your Oral Therapist Or Dental Hygienist Can Save Parents Big Money
According to the National Child Oral Study, tooth decay is the most common oral disease in Australian children. In fact, in children aged five to ten years old, almost 50% of children studied had holes in their baby teeth. Nearly one quarter of five to ten-year-olds had untreated tooth decay.
For children aged six to fourteen, the stats are no better with 24% of children in this age group already having holes in their adult teeth. 1 in 10 of these children also had some untreated holes in their adult teeth as well as untreated decay surfaces.
Considering these alarming figures, it’s clear to see that parents are spending a lot of money on fillings, tooth extractions, crowns and root canals for something that is completely preventative. And it’s not all about the money. Tooth decay also causes children much pain, discomfort, eating, sleeping and self-esteem problems too.
So, as a parent, what’s the answer? An oral therapist can really help. Here’s why.
How an oral therapist can save Brisbane parents money
The good news is that your children don’t have to be part of these scary statistics. The best place to start is with regular visits to an oral therapist. Brisbane dentists like Robert Duhig Dentist see huge benefits in having oral therapists as part of the team. They have a very specific role – to help you and your children keep a clean and healthy mouth.
Oral health therapists are dental professionals who are dual qualified in dental therapy and dental hygiene, so you know you’re in good hands. Here are just some of the ways and oral therapist can help your family.
Education
An oral therapist specialises in teaching children how to look after their teeth, including how to brush properly and how to reach hard places. They can explain better than anyone the importance of teeth brushing to children.
Dental cleaning
Oral therapists love to get in and banish plaque and build up, as well as checking that gums are looking healthy. Professional dental cleaning is not just a job, it’s a pleasure to an oral therapist. They get great satisfaction from seeing the job done right!
Fluoride treatment
Topical fluoride treatment is performed by an oral therapist or dental hygienist to prevent cavities forming in the very early stages. Topical fluoride treatment is more concentrated than what would be consumed by drinking fluoridated water or using toothpaste containing fluoride.
Dental sealants
A common preventative practice performed by oral therapists and dental hygienists is the application of dental sealants. In children, tooth decay predominantly starts on the back molars and so a clear film is placed over the deep grooves in these back teeth. This film prevents the build-up of plaque acids forming in the grooves of the molars and is a recommended way to help your child stay free of major dental issues.
Breath testing
Exclusive to Robert Duhig Dentist in Brisbane, oral therapists can offer breath testing with our breath analyser machine. This helps to determine if there are any chemical imbalances in the mouth.
This is particularly useful for children with sensory issues, who do not like brushing their teeth. Determining chemical imbalances in the mouth helps us to prevent the occurrence of tooth decay before it starts.
Preventative measures in the home
Although a dental hygienist loves to keep kids’ teeth healthy, it certainly needs to be a joint effort. Here are other ways you can save yourself money on your children’s teeth.
Avoid bad habits
Don’t get into the habit of allowing your children to have drinks like juice, chocolate milk or even milk, before bed and after brushing teeth. The sugar in these drinks can linger on teeth and cause tooth decay and cavities. If they need a drink, stick to water only.
It’s also smart to get into the habit of letting kids have sweet treats only with a meal instead of between meals. The saliva that is created while eating a meal will help to remove the bacteria created by the sugary foods. Ideally, try to limit sugary food and drinks altogether.
Avoid sharing
Have you ever sucked your child’s dummy to clean it or shared a straw or spoon? Normally we associate this with sharing germs that cause illness, and that’s party true. But did you realise it also shares the bacteria that causes plaque? It’s best to wash the dummy or spoon with water.
Start straight away
As soon as baby teeth erupt, use a soft cloth to wipe the teeth or a soft toothbrush and water to remove plaque. At around 18-months, use a small pea-sized amount of low-fluoride toothpaste on a soft toothbrush to brush the teeth twice a day. We recommend that children have their first dental check-up by the age of two. This is essential to identify any problems early.
In just one visit to the oral therapist, Brisbane children can avoid the pain and discomfort of tooth decay by picking up issues in the earliest stages. With regular visits to an oral therapist, preventative measures can be put in place, so tooth decay is never part of their childhood.
For parents, you won’t ever have to see your child suffer nor will you have to worry about how you’ll pay the thousands of dollars for dental work thanks to tooth decay.