By Hugo Elliot
As a parent, you must ensure that your child has healthy teeth. Your little one’s teeth are important not only for eating, but they also play a huge role in speech development.
Taking care of your children’s teeth will prevent tooth decay and infections that may damage the permanent teeth underneath. With that being said, all parents need to ensure that their children learn how to take care of their teeth from a young age, as well as receive proper dental care.
Here are some of the things that every parent should know about keeping their children’s teeth healthy.
1. Teach Your Child How To Brush Correctly
As soon as you notice that your child’s teeth are starting to appear, you can start brushing their teeth with a baby toothbrush and water. Once they are able to spit and not swallow toothpaste, you can start using a fluoridated toothpaste. Brushing your baby’s teeth isn’t hard. Just remember to be very gentle so that you don’t end up hurting their gums.
2. Know When It Is Time For Your Child To Start Brushing Their Own Teeth
Children should be able to brush their teeth by themselves at a certain age. This is usually when they are around six years old. However, it is still advisable to supervise them for a while, just to make sure that they are spitting out the toothpaste and brushing properly.
3. A Well-Balanced Diet Contributes To Healthy Teeth
This may come as a surprise but eating a well-balanced diet can contribute to healthy teeth. So you must make sure that your child’s diet comprises adequate fruits and vegetables. A healthy diet can also offer protection from certain diseases such as oral cancer.
4. Kids Can Floss Too
A lot of parents tend to think that it is only adults who are supposed to floss. But this isn’t the case; kids should floss too. Once your child’s teeth start to touch each other, plaque and other bacteria are likely to become hard to remove with just brushing. So to prevent cavities between your child’s teeth, you need to teach your child to floss every day. Here are some more tips to keep cavities away.
5. Don’t Expose Your Child To Too Many Sugary Foods And Liquids
Exposing your child to too many sugary foods and liquids can lead to tooth decay. That’s why it should be avoided. As soon as your baby’s teeth are visible through the gums, without proper oral and dental care, they are exposed to decay. So avoid sugary foods and liquids as much as possible.
6. Schedule Dental Appointments Early On
Another essential thing that parents need to know when it comes to keeping a child’s teeth healthy is to schedule regular dental appointments at a reputable dental office such as Lincoln Crossings Dental, as early as the first tooth of your child appears. Scheduling visits within the first six months of the tooth growing is crucial to having a lifetime of good dental health.
A family dentistry office is the best choice if you want to look after your teeth too. Dentists at these practices can look after both children and adult’s oral health, and provide diversified services such as dental implants, dental bonding or cosmetic dentistry.
