Teaching Kids about Better Dental Habits

It is very important to get our kids started the right way as far as their dental habits are concerned and we have to ensure that their dental health is strong at a young age. We obviously don’t want them to suffer from periodontal disease, oral cancer, or other significant dental problems.

Here are a few strategies you may want to try to ensure that your kids grow up with healthy teeth and gums.

• Kids are more likely to imitate what they see from adults. In addition to talking to them about the importance of good dental habits, show them how you brush twice a day & floss daily, especially before going to bed at night.
• Make brushing time a “together” time. Let your child “help” you with brushing, as you help him.
• Let the kids choose their own toothbrush and make brushing fun. If they love the design on the toothbrush, they will love brushing too. You can even pick toothbrushes with lights, sounds and vibration to make brushing activity more exciting!
• You can make brushing time a story time, so that kids will look forward to it. You can also make up a tooth brushing song and sing it for your kids, while they are brushing their teeth.
• Hard to reach areas of our teeth may have food debris left even after brushing. Show your child how to floss early on to address this problem. Use plaque disclosing products to highlight areas of build-up they may have missed.
• Kids love sugary food, which is a common culprit of tooth decay. Make it a point to have them rinse food from their mouth by drinking water, after having sweets.
• Teach them to use a pea size amount of toothpaste on their brush and make sure they don’t swallow it.
• Teach them to also brush their tongue while brushing. If the tongue is not clean, it can cause bad breath and tooth decay. Give small rewards like stickers after they brush, floss and swish every day.
• Ensure with the help of a dental professional that your kids have good dental health. Work with your general dentist to make the experience fun and relaxing for your kids.