Keeping Your Children’s Bones And Teeth Strong

Healthy bones and teeth are of great significance for one and all. However, they have an even more vital role to play during childhood days. This is because healthy teeth and bones reflect the overall well-being of a child.
This article will throw light on the information necessary to keep bones and teeth strong and healthy in children.

Why is it important to have healthy bones and teeth during childhood days?

Healthy and strong bones in children are important

• Proper growth of the body and gain good height.
• Preventing fractures and other bone problems during adulthood
• A strong jawbone supports healthy teeth

Similarly, healthy teeth help to prevent tooth decay and gum diseases in children.

What are the signs and symptoms of unhealthy bones and teeth?

Signs and symptoms of unhealthy bones

• Delay in growth
• Delay in motor skills
• Pain in legs, spine and pelvis
• Muscle weakness
• Skeletal deformities such as knocked knees, bowed legs, thickened ankles and wrists and projection of breastbone

Signs and symptoms of unhealthy teeth and gums

• Bad breath from the mouth
• Swollen, tender and bleeding gums
• Persistent mouth ulcers
• Tooth Sensitivity
• Wincing when brushing or flossing the teeth.
• Loose tooth
• Darkening of teeth
• Yellow discoloration of teeth
• Jagged edges of the teeth

Also Read What Do Your Teeth Tell About Your Health?

What causes weak bones and teeth in children?

The causes of weak teeth are

• Consuming starch or sugar-rich food without proper dental hygiene.
• Consuming soda on daily basis.
• Consuming factory-made fruit juices
• Faulty genes
• Too much pressure on the teeth while biting or chewing, brushing teeth too hard.
• Not flossing teeth regularly.
• Grinding of teeth in sleep
• Health conditions that cause frequent vomiting such as bulimia can erode the enamel of the teeth.
• Dryness of mouth.

The causes of weak bones are

• Calcium deficiency- According to the Indian Council of Medical Research children between 1-9 years of age needs 600mg of calcium per day and 800 mg per day between 10-17 years of age.
• Vitamin D deficiency
• Type 1 diabetes
• Type 2 diabetes
• Osteogenesis imperfect
• Hyperthyroidism

What factors help to keep bones and teeth healthy?

To ensure healthy and strong bones and teeth in children it is important to take care of the following things:-

• Give them a balanced and healthy diet that covers well the five food groups namely fruits, vegetables, proteins, dairy products and whole grains.
• Children require more calcium than adults to develop healthy teeth and bones. Give them food items rich in calcium. This includes dairy products such as milk, cheese and yoghurt. Tofu and broccoli are also good sources of calcium for children.
• Encourage them to be active and exercise regularly
• Help them maintain a healthy weight
• Provide safety measures to prevent falls and fractures
• Encourage kids to brush their teeth and gums at least twice daily.
• Provide the kids with soft-bristle toothpaste
• Replace their toothbrush once every 3-4 months
• In older children, encourage them to floss daily in order to clean between the teeth
• Provide fluoride-based toothpaste and mouthwash to kids. Fluoride helps to make bones and teeth strong. A small amount of fluoride is present in water supplies and some food. However, it is essential to provide enough fluoride according to each stage of a child’s development. One can consult a dentist or paediatrician for this. They can recommend fluoride supplements if the child is not getting enough fluoride from other sources.
• If the child is wearing braces make sure they fit well and encourage children to keep them clean
• Take your child to the dentist regularly as professional care on regular basis is essential for them
• Take the child to the dentist if there is gum disease, pain in teeth or mouth or loss of teeth instead of using home remedies for a long.

Also Read 9 Ways to Keep Your Teeth Healthy

What is the homeopathic treatment for healthy bones and teeth?

Homeopathy provides safe and effective treatment to strengthen bones and teeth in children. Homeopathic medicines help to treat the underlining conditions such as hyperthyroidism, diabetes, bulimia etc that are responsible for weak bones and teeth. Homeopathy helps to overcome the tendency for recurrent dental caries. At times it is seen that weak bones and teeth persist despite adequate calcium and Vitamin D intake. In such cases, homeopathic medicines help the body to absorb such essential nutrients more efficiently.

The best homeopathic medicine for weak bones and teeth is constitutional medicine. For this, a trained homeopathic physician takes a detailed case history of the patient.

Common homeopathic medicines for children’s bones and teeth are

Calcarea Phosphorica– It is the most commonly used homeopathic medicine to treat weak bones and delayed dentition. It is suited to children who are thin, flabby, chilly, irritable and have weak digestion. They also have a tendency for glandular enlargement and perspiration and desire a change of place to feel better mentally.

Calcarea Carbonica– It is suited to children who are fair, fat, flabby and have delayed milestones They are mostly chilly, especially in the feet yet they tend to perspire heavily on the head while sleeping. Such kids desire sweets and eggs.

Kreosote– It is suited to children that are overgrown but poorly developed. They especially have unhealthy teeth. Dentition is very painful and the child remains sleepless at night. Teeth decay rapidly, gums are spongy and bleeding and there is a putrid odour from the mouth.

Mercurius Solubilis– It is suited for children who have excessive salivation with great thirst, spongy and bleeding gums, crowns of teeth decayed and fetid odour from the mouth.

Silicea – It is suited to kids who have imperfect assimilation of nutrients. They tend to be rachitic with large heads due to delayed closure of fontanelles. Silicea is suited to scrofulous kids with distended abdomens, and chilliness and who are shy and get easily tired both physically and mentally.

CONCLUSION

Our teeth and bones are vital to us. Delay in growth and motor skills, painful or weak muscles and skeletal deformities are signs of unhealthy bones. On the other hand bad odour from the mouth, bleeding gums, teeth sensitivity, loose teeth and discolouration are signs of unhealthy teeth. Certain factors are found to be harmful to our teeth and bones.

These include consuming an unhealthy diet, and excessive sugary and starchy food and sodas. Medical conditions such as diabetes, hyperthyroidism and cause excessive vomiting to weaken the teeth and bones over a period of time. Irregular and improper brushing or flossing of teeth is equally responsible for weak bones and teeth. Right nutrition and healthy lifestyle habits in childhood are important for healthy bones and teeth.

Consuming plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, dairy products and proteins is a must for healthy bones and teeth. Brushing and flossing teeth regularly with a soft-bristled brush and fluoride toothpaste is essential. Apart from this regular exercise and maintaining ideal weight help to keep bones healthy

Homeopathy provides safe and effective treatment for various bone and dental problems in kids. Keeping in view the current pandemic problem many doctors provide online consultations to patients. Also, it is advised to buy homeopathy medicines online in India from a reputed pharmaceutical company in order to be sure about the authenticity and quality of the product.