Caring for your child’s teeth can be a completely different ball game than caring for your own! It’s important to make sure you are introducing good habits early on so that your child can maintain a healthy, strong smile.
At Sunshine Kids Dental & Orthodontics we are here to support your family along the way. Let’s review children’s oral health and provide you with a few pointers so that your child is excited about their dental health!
Crash Course in Children’s Oral Health
When your baby’s gums begin to show signs of growth, wipe their mouth with a cloth or piece of gauze. When their first tooth appears, begin brushing their teeth twice a day! Make sure their tooth brush isn’t irritating their smile; choose a soft bristled brush that is specifically designed for young children.
We recommend practicing the following:
- Make sure your child receives a balanced meal of fruits and veggies, with minimal consumption of sugary or starchy foods.
- Your child should visit the dentist every six months.
- To avoid plaque buildup, teach your child how to floss — if they are too young, do this for them twice a day.
- Even at a young age, children’s teeth should be brushed twice a day. Make sure to use a pea sized amount of tooth paste initially.
- Practice brushing techniques with your child as they begin to brush on their own. Those back molars need love!
- Visit your dentist twice a year so a trained professional can remove any hardened tarter and plaque collection from your child’s teeth.
Your kids won’t perfect the art of brushing overnight. Be there to teach the proper techniques and make sure you create creative, engaging ways for them to get excited about brushing twice a day!
Ways to Get Children Excited About Dental Health
Ways to Get Children Excited About Dental Health1. Create Teeth Activities: make learning a game by using teeth-related crafts and activities. You can start with these.
2. Lead by Example: Your kids look up to you! Practice what you preach so they can adopt good oral hygiene.
3. Sing Along: Singing songs about oral hygiene is an age-old favorite. Check out some of our favorites on this playlist.
4. Use Fun Supplies: Check out the children’s tooth selection when you are shopping, better yet, have your children pick out their own brush!
5. Offer a Reward: Give sugarless incentives for good behavior.
Keep the Excitement Alive
Good dental health should last a lifetime! Make sure your children know this to ensure they practice appropriate dental health every day.
