Dr. Razan Al-Muharib, the Specialist in Pediatric Dentistry, has underlined that the most common health problems affecting children's teeth during the Holy Fasting Month of Ramadan is the increased rate of tooth decay among children due to their frequent eating of sweets and drinking of colored beverages without using the tooth brush regularly and taking care of their teeth.
This came while hosting of Dr. Razan Al-Muharib, the specialist in pediatric dentistry, at the Media and Health Awareness National Center of the Ministry of Health (MOH), within the context of the its annual awareness campaign during the Fasting Month of Ramadan held under the theme: "Hello Healthy Ramadan", via the Center’s toll-free number: 8002494444, and the Ministry's Twitter account: @SAUDIMOH. Through this Program, the Center hosts a constellation of consultant physicians and specialists in all fields to help fasting people, especially those with diseases, to perform this Islamic pillar without any health problems – Allah willing.
Regarding the most significant prevention ways against tooth decay, Dr. Razan has underscored the importance of eating healthy food containing all nutritional substances, avoiding sweets and sugary beverages, brushing the teeth and urging the child to properly use the toothbrush following the emergence of the first teeth in his jaw by using a toothbrush containing pea-sized drop of fluoride toothpaste.
She added that a wet toothbrush may be used if the mother is unable to prevent the child from swallowing the toothpaste. In addition to that, teeth must be brushed 15 minutes after eating sweets or drinking milk, besides adopting age-appropriate oral hygiene and cleaning child's teeth, gums and tongue after feeding with a moistened piece of gauze (for babies).
Speaking about the effect of beverages particularly soft drinks on the health of child's teeth in his early years, Dr. Razan said that soft drinks contain acids which cause tooth decay with the passage of time and avoiding of brushing teeth. She noted that there is a close relation between the late appearance of child teeth and his unhealthy diet, as the nutritional materials like potassium, calcium, and vitamins available in the healthy food are necessary for the formation of teeth and bones.
On the cases faced by a child sometimes when he broke his teeth or part of it while playing, Dr. Razan said that parents must put the broken teeth in a sterile solution or milk and take him directly to the dentist. She also indicated that biting nails affects teeth health and shape among children particularly those over five years old and after the appearance of permanent teeth.
Answering a question about how the mother can maintain the health of her child' teeth for life, Dr. Razan said that the mother should be aware of the healthy habits of infant feeding, take her child regularly to the dental clinic from his/her early years, avoid feeding the child with sugar- or honey-added milk or industrial juices using the feeding bottle while he/she is sleeping after the appearance of his/her first teeth as such a thing will lead to decay.
In addition to that, the mother must not give her child desserts or carbohydrates between the main meals; instead the child must be given vegetables and fruits. Also, the mother has to let her child drink from a cup after reaching 12-14 months and stop feeding him/her from a bottle. She also advised parents to take their child after reaching two years to the dentist to check his/her teeth and take fluoride.
It's worth mentioning that, the Center will host Dr. Khalid Al-Nemr, a Consultant in Cardiology, Arterial Catheterization and Tomography and Nuclear Imaging, tomorrow (Wednesday) Ramadan 4th, 1435H (corresponding to July 2nd, 2014) from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.