Teeth health is critical for the overall health of your child. As your child matures, proper oral hygiene will aid in the development of healthy dental habits. Conversely, poor oral hygiene can result in infection, illness, and other dental complications.
By initiating dental care early in a child's life, you can help prevent tooth decay. Avoid cavities and maintain your child’s perfect smile by following these steps:
1. Encourage The Habit Of Proper Oral Care
Every member of the family, including infants, should visit the family dentist twice a year. It's critical to monitor their oral health, even if they only have baby teeth. Adult teeth are more likely to develop healthily if your child maintains good oral hygiene. In addition, as an infant, routine preventive oral care can benefit your child for the rest of his or her life.
Allow your child to select his or her toothpaste flavor, or allow him or her to brush while listening to music. Another strategy for getting your child to brush twice a day for two minutes at a time is to associate it with a reward such as stickers or a fun activity. Additionally, several excellent children's books can help your child develop a more positive attitude toward oral hygiene.
2. Teach The Correct Way Of Brushing
Dental hygiene should start as soon as your child reaches the appropriate age. Around the age of one or two, begin using a gentle toothbrush for kids. At least twice per day, brush your child's teeth with water. Additionally, a small amount of fluoride-free toothpaste is permissible. It’s an easy-to-swallow toothpaste for your child. Until your child can spit out the toothpaste, don’t switch to fluoride toothpaste. Teach your child to distribute the toothpaste evenly among the teeth, gums, and tongue. Solicit assistance from your pediatrician or dentist about adequately cleaning your child's teeth.
Vigorously brushing can irritate the gums and damage the enamel, the tooth's outer layer. Instead, gently brush your child's teeth in each quadrant of the mouth for 30 seconds in tiny circles. Additionally, see to it that they brush their teeth following each meal!
3. Flossing
Once your child turns two or three years of age, you can begin flossing. By this time, there’d be enough teeth to floss between. Flossing helps in removing food particles stuck between the teeth and gums. These particles are also often responsible for bad breath. Flossing once a day for two to three minutes after brushing should do the trick. You’d have to do this routine with your child until the age of eight years, at which time flossing can be done without the help of an adult. You can ask your dentist about what type of floss to use and how to use it on your child.
3. Provide A Healthy Diet
Cavities are more likely to develop in children who consume a high-sugar diet. Therefore, it’s critical to make nutritious food for them. Consumption of sugar should be limited when providing snacks and meals. If your children consume sugar, ensure that they immediately brush their teeth.
Although many parents believe that juice is a safe all-day beverage, it can cause tooth decay. Consume no more than 4 ounces of 100% fruit juice per day for your child.
4. Avoid Sugar-Coated Medicines
Children's medications may be sweetened and flavored. Children who take medicine for chronic conditions such as asthma or heart disease are at an increased risk for developing tooth decay. This is because cavities are more likely to form when sugar becomes lodged around the teeth.
Antibiotics and certain asthma medications may promote candida overgrowth, resulting in oral thrush, a fungal infection. On the tongue or within the mouth, signs include creamy, curd-like patches. Consult your dentist about the extent to which you can clean your child's teeth while on long-term medication.
5. Know How To Deal With Injuries
Tooth loss that occurs prematurely increases the likelihood of developing dental problems later in life. Additionally, no child or parent wants to experience the ordeal of losing a tooth prematurely, requiring extensive dental work.
When your vehicle is moving, ensure that your children are securely strapped into their seats. If your children participate in contact sports, ensure that they wear the proper mouthguard. You can ask your dentist about this. Mouthguards are reasonably priced and will prove to be a wise purchase.
Takeaway
By teaching your child proper oral care, you lessen the risks of oral infections, injuries, and diseases. Ensure that you spare time every day to train your kid how to brush their teeth, floss, eat healthy food, and protect their teeth from any injuries.
