3 Supplements To Help Improve Your Child's Oral Health

Dentist Articles

The quality of your child's dental health while they are young can affect the health of their teeth and gums as they grow into adulthood. As their parent, it is your responsibility to teach them good oral habits with brushing, flossing, and regular dental checkups. It is also beneficial to teach them the right supplements they can take and use on their teeth to further promote their oral health. Here are three supplements you can use on your child to help improve their oral health.

Tea Tree Oil

Tea tree oil is an essential oil extracted from a plant native to Australia and can treat skin rashes, be used as a topical antiseptic, and reduce infection. You can also use tea tree oil on your teeth to treat and prevent cavities. Tea tree oil used to rinse out your mouth can reduce the bacteria in your mouth and reduce gingivitis and gum inflammation. Research has shown that a 0.6 percent concentration of tea tree oil used as an oral rinse killed 14 out of 15 types of oral bacteria.

Make a daily tea tree oil mouthwash for your child by filling a glass with one to two tablespoons of water and one drop of tea tree oil. Mix it together and have your child swish it around in their mouth and spit it into the sink. For younger children, you can drop a couple drops of tea tree oil on a cotton swab and wipe it over the surface of your child's teeth each day. It is important to not give tea tree oil to children under six months of age and do not let your child swallow it. 

Green Tea Extract

A cup of green tea every day can help your child fight the harmful bacteria in their mouth. Green tea extract is an antioxidant and contains epigallocatechin gallate and epicatechin gallate, which fight plaque and bacteria found on teeth. The catechins prevent bacteria in your child's mouth from feeding on sugar, which kills them. The catechins in green tea extract also kill a gum tissue-destroying enzyme. 

A Chinese study using green tea extract to rinse and brush the teeth found it prevents dental cavities. Similar studies have found that the amount of plaque and gingivitis on participants' teeth were reduced after green tea extract was used on them.

Although green tea contains caffeine, it is safe to give your child up to one cup of green tea per day. The caffeine content will be 100 mg or less and won't be harmful to them. If your child does show an adverse reaction to the caffeine, such as agitation or restlessness, you can let your child chew a piece of gum containing green tea extract.

Fermented Cod Liver Oil

When your child is not getting all the vitamins and minerals their body needs, their body will pull the required nutrients from their teeth, causing tooth decay. Giving your child a daily dose of fermented cod liver oil can help supplement their body and teeth with the important omega 3 fatty acids, and vitamin A, D, and K in an easy-to-absorb form for their body. Additionally, this supplement can help them with any ADHD symptoms. It will also help manage their asthma, reduce skin inflammation conditions such as eczema and acne, and promote their bone health and mental health.

It is important to give your child fermented cod liver oil instead of regular cod liver oil. The reason for this is because during fermentation the oils are rendered naturally over six to twelve months. In regular cod liver oil processing, heat is used to extract the oil, which kills vitamins A and D and denatures the omega 3 fatty acids.

Children three months old to 12 years old can take 1/8 to 1/2 teaspoons of liquid fermented cod liver oil or one to four capsules each day. For children older than twelve years, you can give them 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of liquid fermented cod liver oil or five to ten capsules each day. 

These three supplements can help keep your children's teeth and gums healthy. For more information about dental care, go to links like http://www.childrensdent.com.

9 December 2015