Since February has been designated as Children’s Dental Health Month, what better time is there to learn some key ways to make improvements in your kids’ dental care? As you read further, your children’s dentist in Clintonville explains why, during the early years, it’s important to set a sound foundation for oral health. Then, armed with the right information, you can take action!
Planting the Seeds of Dental Wellness Early
As your children get older, their brains will go through several developmental stages, and a combination of experiences and learned behaviors will help to shape whom they’ll become. The efforts you put into teaching them good oral care habits will pay-off immediately, and provide you with the peace-of-mind of knowing that they’ll have excellent oral health in their adult years.
Tip #1 – Introduce Oral Hygiene Early
As early as possible (around age 2 is usually good), you should introduce your little ones to the habits of brushing and flossing at least two times a day. Done properly and consistently, this helps to rid their mouth of excessive oral bacteria that could lead to plaque formation and cavities.
While you’ll need to clean their teeth for them early on, it will still help to instill the habit of practicing oral hygiene.
Tip #2 – Make Oral Hygiene Fun
One way to encourage compliance with brushing and flossing regularly is to provide rewards. One way to go about it is to place a chart in the restroom and give your kiddos a sticker after every successful cleaning. After a certain number have accumulated, you can provide a small reward to keep them excited.
Tip #3 – Monitor Sugar Intake
There possibly isn’t a child on the planet that doesn’t enjoy consuming items loaded with sugar, whether in the form of juices, sodas, candy or other sweets. The problem is that such products are highly attractive to oral bacteria. When the latter feed on any leftover sugar particles, they rapidly multiply and can eventually form plaque, a corrosive substance that can cause cavities and gum disease.
To help mitigate such problems, you can set healthy limits for the amount of sweets your children can consume, while also offering less detrimental options, like sugar-free gum and candy, and different types of fruit.
Tip #4 – Establish a Relationship with a Dentist Early
The sooner your children can build a relationship with a local dentist, the better their chances are having healthy teeth and gums in the future. Simply introducing your kids to the habit of visiting every six months for preventive care will pay-off hugely in the following ways:
- To serve as a means of healthy habit forming
- To catch any budding issues early
- To help them build a sense of trust in the dentist
- To allow them a chance to become better educated about their oral health
If you want a healthier and happier family, then working with a dentist is a step in the right direction. It all starts by reaching out to request your first visit!
About the Author
Dr. Eric Buck earned his dental degree from The Ohio State University College of Dentistry. A highly skilled expert, he has the disposition and knowledge to treat children of all ages. Dr. Buck provides dental care at Creative Smiles, and he can be reached for more information through his website.