Children can be notoriously difficult when it comes to following proper oral hygiene. As a parent, you need to make sure that they establish a routine from early age so that they are used to taking care of their teeth properly. Oral health can affect your overall health as well; therefore it is very important to protect your children’s teeth and gums by teaching them good habits.
Brushing teeth is a very important habit that children should get used to. Make sure that you choose a soft bristled child-sized toothbrush and toothpaste that contains fluoride. You can also take part in brushing so that they can follow your example. You should start doing this as soon as your baby develops their first tooth. While a pea sized amount of toothpaste is recommended, this is what you should follow once they are three years old. Younger ages should use smaller amounts of toothpaste. Try to teach them the correct brushing technique and once they are able to do it on their own, you can let them try it. But there should always be adult supervision. The child should be brushing their teeth for about two minutes. You can come up with innovative ways to get them to brush for that long such as humming a song that they like best. Make sure that you visit a kids dentist regularly. You can do some research on the paediatric dentists in your vicinity to get an idea of who to visit. You can always go for a consultation to get an idea of how they communicate with the child and put them at ease. This will not create a fear of dental clinics in the child and they will be more prone to take care of their teeth as well. If you notice any tooth decay, make sure that you take the child to the dentist right away. Putting off treatment can lead to infection and in serious situations, it will require extraction of the tooth.
Sticking to brushing twice a day is enough. Even if your children eat sugary snacks during the day, you don’t need to have them brush their teeth afterwards. What you can get them to do is rinse their teeth after having a meal. This will remove food debris stuck on teeth and harmful bacteria. Flossing is also important and it will remove the plaque between teeth that a toothbrush will not be able to reach. It can also remove plaque that is under the gum line. This can take a bit of practice but make sure that you impress on them the benefits of proper oral habits. You need to consider their diet; it should have healthy food avoiding high sugar items. Check the sugar content of the snacks and treats you give. A lighter amount of sugar is okay; you don’t need to make them go sugar free. It is not just sugar that you have to watch out for. Starch is another culprit when it comes to tooth decay. So these foods should always be provided in moderation. There are also many drinks that come with a high amount of sugar.
