Teaching your kids dental hygiene is an invaluable way to promote a healthier lifestyle, but this doesn’t have to be an uphill struggle – each child may have different tastes and desires so finding out which strategies will best serve your family will be key in teaching healthy habits that last a lifetime.
Here are a few dental hygiene practices you should teach your kids.
1. Teach Your Children How to Brush Properly
The key to instilling good dental hygiene among your kids is teaching them how to brush properly twice daily and using gentle up-and-down movements so they touch all parts of their gum line when brushing their teeth.
Your children must not apply too much pressure when brushing to avoid damaging their gums. Teach them to brush their tongue, spit out any leftover toothpaste, and rinse their mouth afterward using clean water – this should be done twice per day.
2. Teach Them How to Floss Their Teeth
One of the best ways to ensure lasting dental health is flossing regularly – keeping gums healthy, helping prevent cavities and clearing away bacteria not accessible by brushing alone. Flossing also removes plaque that cannot be reached with toothbrushes alone.
Teach your children the correct method for flossing by demonstrating it yourself. Show them how to wrap the floss around each tooth before gently extracting it – doing this daily is highly recommended; failure to do so increases their risk of tooth decay.
3. Encouraging Healthy Eating
Your child’s diet has an enormous effect on their oral health, so it is vital that you teach them about foods with too much sugar or acid content that could ultimately worsen it in the long run.
Sugary food and drinks contain sugar-loving bacteria, leading to plaque build-up that eventually hardens into tartar in the mouth.
Acidic foods could leave an acidic residue on your child’s teeth, leading to enamel erosion. Acid erodes away at its hard structure, softening or even breaking it down entirely and making the tooth vulnerable to further erosion.
Sugary foods such as candies, sodas, pastries and other sweets should be replaced whenever possible with healthier options such as fruits or protein bars. Treats should only be given occasionally! If you enjoy giving treats to your children occasionally then remember to do so in moderation!
4. Visit a Dentist Regularly Your kids should become used to visiting the dentist early on, allowing early detection of problems that may develop later in life. Visiting your local dental professional regularly will allow your family’s overall wellbeing.
Visit your pediatric dentist at least every six months so your child can reduce their chances of tooth decay or cavities, and also help overcome dental anxiety early.
If your kids seem anxious when visiting the dentist, consider making an appointment with an orthodontist instead.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) suggests taking your children to see a dentist starting at age one to ensure proper dental development and address any potential problems early.
5. Switch Out Their Toothbrush Regularly
Over time, toothbrushes become ineffective at cleaning teeth effectively; so it’s wise to swap out theirs frequently so as to maintain effective dental health for both yourself and your children.
Your child’s current toothbrush could have built up with bacteria over time, so it is recommended that he or she exchanges their brush every three months at least to reduce bacteria transmission and spread.
Help your kids understand when to replace their toothbrushes by placing it in an easy-to-find holder or adding stickers that show when it’s time for replacement.
Overall, giving your children the gift of good dental hygiene can be one of the best ways to give them an effective start in life. By doing so, you can teach them how to maintain good oral hygiene and anticipate possible issues down the line.
Some of the most effective practices you can teach them include how to brush and floss their teeth, consume healthy foods, visit their dentist regularly, and frequently change their toothbrushes.
Spending the time to care for the oral health of your children will go a long way toward giving them healthy teeth and an amazing smile.