8 Valuable Children’s Oral Health Tips

As a parent, it is difficult to know when you child’s oral hygiene should begin and when to start taking them to the dentist. With the responsibility of your child’s health and well-being on your shoulders it can be daunting. Don’t worry, help is at hand with these children’s oral health tips:

We all know that visits to the dentist are vital for yours and your child’s oral health. The first visit to the dentist should be around the time of your child’s first birthday. Look for a dentist that is experienced in paediatric dentistry, like this dentist in Winchester for example.

After the first visit, dental checkups should become a regular event in the family calendar. The dentist will educate your child on how to look after their teeth and prevent tooth decay.

If you have a child that dentist anxiety, or feels frightened because they don’t know what’s going to happen, it is important that you tread carefully. Encourage your child to talk openly about their fears and explain what the experience will be like and sell the benefits. If all else fails you could find a dentist that has a pet, yes a pet, like this dentist in Connecticut. Animals are great for calming anxious patients.

To protect your child’s teeth against decay ask your dentist about sealants and fluoride applications. The grooves of the chewing surfaces of the teeth are filled with a sealant to prevent food from getting stuck and fluoride applications will strengthen the enamel of the teeth to prevent decay.

Good health stems from good nutrition and this includes our oral health too. So it is important to lay the foundations of a healthy balanced diet as soon as possible, even before you child has teeth. Get your child into good habits such as drinking lots of water, as early as possible.

Teething gums can be gently cleaned after feeding with a gauze pad soaked in water. This will get your child used to the ritual of having their teeth cleaned.

Once baby teeth have broken through the gums, they can be cleaned very gently with a soft baby toothbrush. Use a tiny amount of toothpaste to get your child used to the taste and to start benefiting from the use of fluoride.

Don’t lose focus as your children become older, there is still work to be done to ensure good oral health.

It’s important to teach your children to brush correctly. A big blob of toothpaste and a 10 second scrub just won’t get the the job done efficiently.

Whilst at preschool age, teach your child to mimic the actions that you take with their brushing. This way they can learn the motor skills required for brushing. This give you the opportunity to make sure there is no plaque pre and post the toddler efforts.

By the time your child is aged 5 or 6, they should be able to clean their teeth independently. Don’t let your guard down though as they may become lazy. If this is the case consider using plaque disclosing tablets and a toothbrush timer. This will ensure a good two minutes of brushing takes place. The next step as they get older is to introduce flossing.

We all love sugar, but try not to let your children snack on sugary foods like cake and biscuits throughout the day – limit when they are eaten. This will give the teeth a break from a sugary coating which can cause decay.

If you do allow your children to have sweets, choose those that clear out of the mouth quickly. Sweets that have to be sucked for a long time, like lollipops, make it difficult for the saliva in the mouth to wash away sugar.

Use these tips and you and your children will have good, strong healthy teeth and a great relationship with your dentist. Your child will still be able to enjoy the occasional treat, such as slush drinks and chocolate – just ensure that they keep on top of oral hygiene regimen.

Is there a tip that we have missed that you would like to share? Pop it in the comments, we would love to hear it.