How to teach your kids proper oral and dental care?
Parents should teach their children proper dental care even at a young age, as that is considered to be an investment in their wellbeing later on in their life. They should start out by setting a good example and taking good care of their own teeth. Parents should take their kids to the dentist as soon as possible and as regularly as possible. They should also make it fun for the kids by letting them choose their own toothbrush and toothpaste so that the kids will be more involved in this activity.
Dental Care
Parents should be giving their kids advice on oral hygiene regularly so that they can reduce the risk of cavities and other dental issues.
Oral Care Essentials to Teach Kids
- Everyone’s teeth need fluorides, so brushing with good fluoride toothpastes is very important. It helps teeth to get the needed amount of fluorides and helps in removing plaque that forms a film on the teeth causing tooth decay.
- Eating a proper and well balanced diet will ensure that children do not consume excess amounts of sugar and starchy food. These kinds of food can generate plaque acids in the teeth, causing decay and other dental issues.
- Flossing regularly will help in removing plaque from between teeth and under the gums. This should be done before the plaque gets hardened to form tartar which would be hard to remove.
- Regular, proactive checkups at the dentist will help in staying alert and informed in advance about all the possible dental problems that kids face, so that needed precautions can be taken.
How to Teach Kids Proper Oral Care
When kids are young, parents should teach them how to brush their teeth properly and show them the right techniques so that they can follow it for the rest of their lives. Here are some tips that parents can use to teach their children dental care effectively:
- Standing with the kids when they are brushing and showing them how to do it could be helpful.
- As soon as the first teeth start to appear, a toothbrush that is specifically designed for the kids should be used with small amounts of fluoride toothpaste.
- Parents should supervise this ritual every day and night at least until the kids are seven years old.
- When all the teeth have appeared, a soft-bristled brush with a small head should be used. Circular motions forming small circles will be enough and kids should concentrate one area of the teeth at a time.
- Brushing behind the teeth and over the gums is also important.
Dentist Check up
- Flossing is an important task that most people tend to ignore. About 18 inches should be cut off from the floss and one end should be wrapped around the middle finger while the other end is wrapped around the other middle finger. While holding the floss tightly between the forefingers and thumbs, it should be gently inserted between the teeth. Then the floss should be curved into a C shape and moved up and down on the teeth. This procedure is repeated on all the teeth to floss properly and keep teeth clean.
- The water that kids drink should be fluoridated. Not always does the local water supply or bottled water contain the needed amount of fluorides that kids need. Therefore, parents can check with the dentist or pediatrician and get a prescription for fluoride supplements.
If the kid suffers some form of injury and ends up breaking a tooth, then parents should contact their dentist immediately. The dentist will be able to examine the infected or affected area so that the appropriate treatment can be carried out promptly. To prevent any damage and also to alleviate pain you need to visit your dentist.
I like the recommendation to stand by the kids and show them how to brush effectively. It makes sense that this could be helpful to make sure they get all of their teeth so no plaque is left on them. I’ll have to keep this in mind because my kids often have cavities when we go to the dentist and it worries me.
Thanks for sharing these tips! It is a little hard to make kids brush their own teeth. They always need guidance so they have the habit of taking care of their own teeth.
Hello,
Thanks for stopping by my blog.
I absolutely agree with you.
Have a nice day.
Barbara
Hi, All,
We, Brushie Team, also has the same passion for dental care. Brushies makes healthy habits and confident smiles a game they won’t want to put down. Let’s face it, tooth brushing time is not the most highly anticipated moment in a child’s day. When we ask them to stop what they are doing to brush their teeth, we parents make matters worse we ask them to do it properly and for a whole two minutes. The Brushies team has designed a loophole to this universal parental problem. Instead of asking kids to stop what they are doing to brush, we invite them to engage in a fun and exciting game WHILE they brush! With a long battery life, your child can engage in maximum smileage without pesky interruptions.
Thanks for the tip to stand with my kids when brushing teeth to teach them how to do it. My kids have struggled to grasp the idea of brushing their teeth, but I think if I tried doing it with them, it would be helpful. I’ll also need to start looking at children’s dental care specialists in the area so we can get my kids regular checkups.
Nice tips! I have a child and to be honest I was not controlling if did flossing correctly! I will make sure he does as it is very important for his dental health. I need to find a good pediatric dentist for him as we are moving to another city and we will need such a specialist there. Thanks for the advice!
It’s good to learn that showing our children how to brush properly by doing it with them can be a good way of influencing their oral habit. That’s because having dental issues is a headache, especially for children since they’ll tend to not eat and be tardy. We’ll continue to guide our children to a healthy dental care as much as we can. If anything goes awry, they would be sure to be taken to a kid’s dental care. Hopefully, they won’t be afraid like the others, but we know the pediatric dentist can handle that. Thanks!