What A Parent Really Needs To Know To Prevent Cavities For Their Children...

A few years ago there was a movie by the late Gilda Radner from Saturday Night Live. One segment was about how we learn so much in school that we do not really remember very much at all and how school should concentrate on teaching us the �stuff� that really matters so that after we graduate we have some useful knowledge. Of course it was a spoof, but the audience laughed because there really was some truth in it. Think about all the courses you took in school and how much you really remember or use very often. That seems like an interesting subject for this section about education.
So what do parents who want to help their kids avoid cavities and save time and money in the process, really need to know and do?
In other words, lots of things are really helpful and good to do, like brushing after meals. But most kids do brush after at least some meals and still get cavities, so that is obviously not it. How about not eating sugar for desert? Another good idea, but many parents are pretty good about avoiding deserts, and still their kids get cavities. So that is not it either. How about going for check ups at the dentist? Most kids do go to the dentist for check ups, and that still does not stop decay for many kids. So that is not it either. What is it that will help?
Well, like we used to have the 3 R�s in school, Reading, R�iting and R�ithmatic, there are the 4 F�s in dentistry. Flossing, Food, Fluoride and Frequency (of dental check ups.)