Many parents have their own tips for preventing cavities in their children. For instance, having children drink more plain water is a "secret weapon for dental health" for many mothers. "It not only replenishes the child's fluids but also washes away bacteria in the mouth, killing two birds with one stone." In daily life, a considerable number of mothers hold this attitude. Relying on drinking plain water to prevent cavities in babies is not effective.
In this regard, Yao Rui, director of the Pediatric Dentistry Department at the Affiliated Stomatological Hospital of Nankai University (Tianjin Stomatological Hospital), explained that encouraging children to drink more plain water, eat less candy, and drink less cola can indeed help with oral health to a certain extent. Drinking plain water, in particular, can help rinse away food debris left in the child's mouth and on their teeth, playing a certain cleansing role. However, some people are genetically predisposed to cavities. This means that under the same conditions of oral hygiene and diet, some people are prone to cavities while others are not. This is because each person's unique genetic makeup determines their distinct oral environment and saliva composition. In the face of such individual differences, it is difficult to completely prevent cavities by relying solely on daily diet.
The most effective methods for preventing cavities are still rinsing the mouth after meals and brushing teeth in the morning and evening. Yao Rui mentioned that in addition to ensuring brushing in the morning and evening, if conditions permit, parents should ideally train their children to brush their teeth after all three meals. However, it is important to note that each brushing session should last about 3 minutes, and one should not brush immediately after eating, as this can cause demineralization of the tooth's surface. Brushing 30 minutes after a meal is more ideal. Furthermore, if a child cannot consistently brush their teeth, pit and fissure sealants can be used to provide the safest protection for their teeth.