On top of partnering with a reliable and expert children’s dentist in Brampton, your responsibility as a parent is to ensure that your children’s oral health is in tip-top shape. According to dental health experts, instilling good oral hygiene practices should start the moment your child’s 1st tooth surfaces—and it starts at home. It will make it easier for them to incorporate these practices as they grow older.
Children need to know the importance of maintaining proper oral hygiene to avoid developing cavities and bad breath. In fact, studies show that kids with poor oral health often miss more school and earn lower grades than kids with better dental health.
To help you preserve the beauty, function, and strength of your child’s teeth, we put together 5 simple and easy tips in this post. Let’s get into them.
Tip 1: Teach Your Kids Healthy Oral Hygiene at a Young Age
“Old habits die hard,” they say. If oral hygiene is part of your children’s daily habits, it’ll be hard for them to get rid of it. From using the correct brushing stroke to using a rice-sized amount of toothpaste, show your kids plenty of ways to promote good oral health. For example, show your children under age 3 how to spit rather than swallow the paste.
For babies, you can use a damp cloth to slide over their gums to keep bacteria away and avoid damaging their sensitive gums. Once they are old enough, you can switch to an infant toothbrush and a grain-sized fluoride toothpaste.
Tip 2: Always Be a Role Model
Kids like to copy their parents’ actions most of the time. Demonstrate proper oral health practices and let your children watch. For example, brush or floss with your kids rather than send them alone in the bathroom.
Lumina Dental have found that when you establish brushing as part of their daily routine, make it fun and exciting rather than treating it as a tedious chore.
Tip 3: Take Them to a Pediatric Dentist
Experts like this dentist in Highlands Ranch recommend that you should take your child to the dentist by the time they turn 1 year old. A reliable Etobicoke sedation dentist, for example, will do a child-friendly exam, introduce and explain the proper brush strokes and ways to floss their teeth to ensure that food debris is eliminated, and teach how to count teeth. Routine visits also help dentists to detect problems early.
We suggest a dental checkup schedule based on your child’s age and specific oral health needs. Also, don’t just send them to any dentist. Select a pediatric dentist that your fellow parents recommend. If you’re looking for a place where your child will feel safe and happy, all while receiving the best quality pediatric dentist in Saskatoon would be the best option for you.
Regular visits to a pediatric dentist will help your child avoid dental anxiety and phobias well into their adult lives.
Tip 4: Establish a Healthy Routine at Home
Jump-start those lifetime dental habits by establishing rules at home. Since your goal is to build the foundation for your family to achieve healthy teeth from childhood and beyond, refer to the following list and let them know they should follow it:
- Brush twice a day
- Floss and rinse mouth
- Visit the dentist twice a year
- Avoid sugary foods
- Eat calcium-rich foods (milk, broccoli, yogurt, etc.)
Tip 5: Let Them Use Fluoride-Based Toothpaste
Encourage your children to drink plenty of water and use fluoride-based toothpaste. Flouride is necessary to protect the teeth from damage caused by acid, sugar, and other harmful substances. Also, it helps prevent cavities by rebuilding enamel on your child’s teeth.
Many communities also add fluoride to tap water to help fight cavities at a low cost. Contact your local water utility agency to determine whether your water contains fluoride. If you are concerned about your child’s risk of developing cavities and your water doesn’t have fluoride, ask your dentist in Sarnia for supplements. Your doctor may recommend fluoridated water or prescribe fluoride drops or tablets for your child.
Your children’s excellent oral health starts with good parenting. You naturally want to start your children on the right path toward healthy oral hygiene habits and a lifetime of stunning smiles. Establish healthy oral habits from infancy while being a good role model for your children. Most importantly, talk to your dentist regarding proper guidance on caring for their teeth until your child can do it themselves. Also, ensure that the pediatric dentist is skilled and experienced enough to help improve your child’s oral health.
