It is not always easy to teach children how to look after their teeth. For some parents, it is an uphill battle. First of all, parents should let their children know that good dental habits are of utmost importance.
Your ultimate goal is to keep your child’s teeth cavity-free. But to ensure good dental health of children, both parents and children should focus on some other things too. In this post, we will provide some dental health tips for children.
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Brush your teeth regularly
When plaque builds up, it causes tooth decay. Brushing is an easy and effective way to remove plaque from teeth. The entire teeth surfaces and gums should be brushed twice a day. When you brush the gum line, make sure you do it in small circles.
Make sure your toothbrush has soft bristles and a small head. Brush in such a way that several teeth are cleaned at a time. Until the age of seven, a child should take the help of an adult. When we talk about dental health tips for children, we must talk about brushing.
Tooth-friendly food
For healthy teeth, you should eat more vegetables, fruit, lean meat, cheese and nuts. Always try to avoid candy, chips and cookies. But do not feel too guilty if you eat these food items. You need some time to form these good habits.
When children eat unfamiliar food, they often worry. When they do not have control over what they eat, they feel uncomfortable. If you are a parent and you want to improve your child’s food habit, here are some tips for you:
Brushing and flossing
If you are a parent, you should brush your child’s teeth until your child is 8 years of age. But brushing is not enough to keep your child’s teeth healthy. Keep in mind that flossing is as important as brushing. You should floss your child’s teeth until he or she turns 10. if you are looking for some dental health tips for children, make sure your child forms the good habit of brushing and flossing.
Be choosy when buying toothbrushes for your children. Try an anti cavity fluoride toothpaste. It is a good idea to give children the freedom to choose the brand. You can also consider playing brushing music. When it comes to brushing your child’s teeth, seek advice from a dentist. A dentist can provide valuable advice.
Dentist visits
Try to get your kids into the habit of visiting the dentist. Forming this good habit will be good for your child later in life. Dentist visits should become a regular part of your child’s life. Here are a few tips that you will find useful.
If you help your child start young, he will take dental visits normally. As soon as your child’s first tooth appears, take him to the dentist. Try to prepare him or her for a visit to the dentist. Do not reward your child when you take him to a dentist. Do not give your child the impression that it should be endured. Make it fun.
Form good habits
Cavity forms when teeth are not brushed regularly. Good oral habits can keep cavities away. Make sure your child brushes teeth at least a couple of times a day. Helping your child form good habits is one of the best things you can do.
If you help your child form good habits early, your child will enjoy the results later in life. Are you looking for some good dental health tips for children? Just make sure your child forms some good habits.
Get enough fluoride
If fluoride is used regularly, it toughens the enamel. Acid can not penetrate easily when the enamel toughens. In some towns, it is a rule to fluoridate tap water. But many towns do not have this rule, and you have to be very careful if you live in such a town.
You can ask a dentist and get fluoride supplements. Fluoride is an ingredient in most toothpaste, but you should consider other sources of fluoride if you want to ensure good dental health of your child.
But you also have to make sure that your child does not get too much fluoride, because it may cause dental discoloration. Before you give any supplement to your child, make sure you talk to a dentist.
Be careful when taking sweet medicine
Children’s medications are sometimes flavored. There is a great chance of forming cavities if sweet medicine sticks on the teeth. If your child has chronic diseases like heart problems and asthma, doctors may give your child tablets or capsules coated with sugar. There is a risk of Candida overgrowth if your child asthma medications and antibiotics.
If this condition is left untreated, your child may have to deal with a fungal infection. If your child is given flavored medications, ask the doctors if the medications are safe for your child’s teeth. If you are looking for some good dental health tips for children, this is one of the most important things to consider.
Dental health tips by ages
Children do not need the same kind of dental care throughout their childhood. Now we are going to provide specific dental care tips for children by ages.
4-24 months
If you let plaque build up on your child’s teeth, it will gradually cause tooth decay. Plaque is a sticky and soft bacteria and it contains deposits. Make sure your child’s gums are cleaned regularly. Use a damp washcloth to clean your child’s gums.
2-4 years
Children within this age limit have teeth that are still in the development phase. Your child should try to brush on his own once he is two years old. If you are looking for some dental health tips for children, make sure your child uses fluoridated toothpaste.
But that does not mean that parents do not have duty anymore. Parents should follow up, and they should get a little bit creative if a child refuses to brush his or her teeth. Parents should try to make the process fun.
5-7 years
Young children may think they can brush their teeth, but in fact very few children have physical dexterity to do so. Children usually achieve this dexterity when they turn 7. Until then, you should try to help your child brush and floss.
If you manage to do it regularly, your child will gradually learn to brush and floss. Once the good habit is formed, you will no longer have to worry. Do not wait until your child gets into the habit. Try to get him into the habit.
8+ years
You will have less influence over your children’s eating and drinking habits when they start school. During this phase, setting good examples is the best way to encourage your child to eat healthy foods. This is one of the most important things to consider if you are interested in dental health tips for children.
If you have a dental health routine, and you eat different types of foods, your child will imitate you. Children of this age constantly notice their parents. So it will be easy for you to instill some good behaviors into your child’s behaviors.
Use a water flosser
Buying a water flosser is one of the best things you can do for your child. Flossing is a lot easier when you use a water flosser. You can easily find a kids water flosser in the market. This device can make flossing a fun activity.
Even if your child’s teeth have not appeared, you can brush them by using tooth and gum wipes. Cavity-causing bacteria can attack your child’s teeth if there is no tooth. Avoid sharing cups and spoons with your child, and avoid putting your child’s pacifier into your mouth.
That means, you have to get your child into the habit of brushing and flossing even before the first tooth appears. A kids water flosser can make it easier for you.
Use good technique
Yes, there are right and wrong techniques of brushing teeth. If your child brushes back and forth and does that in an aggressive way, he will cause harm to his teeth. Teach your child to brush gently, in tiny circles.
As a rule of thumb, you should brush your child’s teeth for 50-60 seconds. But you do not need to spend that long if your child has only 2 teeth. Make sure your use right technique when brushing your child’s teeth. This is one of the most important dental health tips for children.
Drink plenty of water
Make sure your child drinks plenty of water, because water should be your child’s main drink. While some cities provide fluoride in tap water supply, others do not. Fluoride is one of the main things that protect teeth. Ask your city authorities if there is fluoride in tap water. If you buy a bottle of water from a shop, that water may not contain fluoride.
Limit sugary foods
Foods containing high amounts of sugars are not good for the teeth of children. If you allow your child to eat food items that contain high levels of sugar, it will lead to tooth decay. Do not put snacks and sugary foods in the lunchbox of your child.
Lollies, jams, cakes, biscuits, doughnuts, sweet muffins, sweet pastries, slices, muesli bars and chocolate contain a lot of sugar. Tell your child to stay away from these foods.
Cut on fruit juice
Sweet drinks and fruit juice can lead to tooth decay. Even if you do not add sugar to fruit juice, there is natural sugar in it, and it can cause tooth decay. When it comes to dental health tips for children, cutting back on fruit juice is one of the first things to consider.
Some examples of sweet drinks are fruit juice, soft drinks, cordials, sports drinks, energy drinks and tea drinks. Soft drinks contain acids which are very bad for your child’s teeth.
Sealants are useful
To prevent fissures and pits from harboring bacteria, first and second molars should be sealed frequently. The surface of the grooves and pits should be roughened and, to protect the tooth, a thin layer of sealer should be painted into the groove.
This is not a surefire way to stop cavity, but it can go a long way to prevent the formation of cavity. Your child will be perfectly comfortable with the sealant, because he will barely notice the presence of the sealant.
The first visit to the dentist should be fun
Make sure your child’s first visit to the dentist is not stressful. It should be easy and fun. If it is a positive experience for your child, he will always be comfortable with the dentist. A good dentist will assess your child’s teeth, and practice hygiene.
You should take your child to the dentist before the problem gets worse. If your child is under the impression that the dentist is someone to be scared of, you may not find it easy to take your child to the dentist next time. This is another thing to consider when you are looking for some dental health tips for children.
Dealing with cavities
When bacteria build up, cavities form in your teeth. It happens because sugar in drinks and food work as acids which damage your teeth. Children are more likely to have cavities, and there are good reasons for that.
To prevent cavities, make sure your child takes good care of teeth. If you have cavities, there is a great chance that your children will have them too, because cavity-causing bacteria can be passed to unborn babies. Here are a few signs of cavities:
- Brown or white spots on teeth
- Ongoing health care needs
- Your child is scared of the dentist
- Premature birth
If you notice that your child has cavities, take him to the dentist as soon as possible, and make sure your child pays attention to the advice of the dentist.
Things to consider
Do not get worried if your baby sucks his thumbs and fingers. Even if you do not intervene, your child will give up this habit by age four. But if your baby continues doing it, there may be problems with the alignment of teeth. If your child has turned 4 but still has this habit, you should talk to your dentist. This is another thing to consider when you focus on dental health tips for children.
The dentist will see if your child has normal tooth development. In most cases, you do not need to worry at all if your child has a sucking habit. Just make sure you do something about it when your child’s permanent front teeth appear.
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