Kids’ oral health statistics cratered in the early 1970s. At that point, nearly 97% of Canadian children and adolescents had at least one decayed tooth and an average of six missing, decaying or filled teeth. Thankfully, things have gotten better. As of 2010, the Canadian Dental Association reports that the average Canadian child or adolescent has 2.5 decayed, missing or filled teeth. How’d that average get so much lower in three decades or so? And what can parents and a dentist near you who treats kids do to reduce the number of cavities in your child’s mouth? What do pediatric dentists do to protect kids’ oral health? Regular checkups At every dental twice-yearly checkup, a pediatric dentist in Waterloo will look closely at your child’s teeth and gums. What are they looking for? Any signs of tooth decay or gum disease as early as possible so that they can intervene to prevent its progression as quickly as possible. Pediatric dentists also take regular dental images to find any