Tips for Good Dental Hygiene in Children

Tips for Good Dental Hygiene in Children

Oct 01, 2020

Dental decay is the leading dental problem in children. While it is crucial for you to take your child to the dentist’s for regular checkups, this should be coupled with good oral care. It would help if you incorporated a strict oral care routine in your child’s life from their early stages, so their teeth are protected from cavities s and other dental problems.

How can you best care for your child’s teeth? This article discusses some helpful tips for your child’s oral health.

Buy a Good Toothbrush

When buying your kid a toothbrush, pick one with soft bristles. Toothbrushes with stiff bristles may damage the gum tissue and loosen its grip on the teeth. They may also cause bleeding gums.

Brushing and Flossing

Before your little one learns how to hold a brush, help them clean their teeth using a toothbrush and water. You can add a little non-fluoride toothpaste as it is safe for swallowing. When they are a bit older–three years and above–you can let them use fluoride toothpaste. Teach them how to spread the toothpaste among their gums, teeth, and tongue. Alternatively, you can ask your dentist to teach you how to brush your kid’s teeth.

Make sure to replace the toothbrush every three months or whenever they show signs of wearing out. Your kid should brush twice daily; in the morning and before bed for about two minutes. It is also vital for them to floss once every day to remove any food particles stuck between their teeth.

After brushing their teeth and gums, teach them to brush their tongue as this eliminates bacteria present in the mouth.

It is best to supervise the brushing and flossing routine to ensure your child is doing it right.

Ensure Mouth Safety

This is an overlooked area of oral hygiene. If you have a sporty child, a mouth guard will come in hand. This is a soft plastic appliance that conceals the teeth and even lips to protect them from sports-related injuries. Your dentist can design a custom-fit mouth guard for your child.

Regular Checkups

The latest you can take your child to the dentist is when they are one year old. Beginning their dental care early helps detect potential problems in the early stage, thus saves you from extensive and costly procedures. Studies indicate that kids who start oral care early are less likely to suffer from dental problems in the future.

Avoid Baby Bottle Decay

This condition occurs when you nurse your child to sleep, or they sleep with their feeding bottle in their mouth. When the bottle contains sugary liquids, they might cling to their teeth and feed decay-causing bacteria. Baby bottle decay can be avoided by ensuring the feeding bottle your kid takes to bed with them contains only water. Also, it would be best if you stopped breastfeeding them when they are asleep.

Watch Their Diet

For healthy teeth, your kid has to feed on healthy foods and drinks. While you can replace soda with sports drinks and fruit juices, consuming too much might be harmful. These drinks contain sugars that erode your enamel and bring about several dental problems. Eliminating them from your child’s diet may be challenging, but you can start balancing them with water. Encourage your kids to take equal water amounts after consuming these drinks to wash out any sugar residue.

You should also limit your child’s sugary food intake. Foods like cake, candy, and sugary gums are bad for the teeth. Chewing of sugarless gums is, however, encouraged in older kids as it:

  • Strengthens the jaw
  • Boosts saliva production
  • Rinses away food residue
  • Balances decay-causing acids
  • Freshens breath

Control Thumb Sucking

Although it is entirely normal for young children to suck their thumbs, this behavior should worry you if your child is all-grown. Prolonged thumb sucking has dire consequences on the alignment of teeth and could cause crooked teeth.

Be a Good Role Model

If you want your kids to care for your teeth, perhaps you should lead as an example. Children with parents that neglect their health are likely to do the same.

Be Wary of Sweet Medicine

Children’s medication may be sugary or flavored. If these medications cling to the teeth, the risk of cavities increase. Studies indicate that children on heart disease and asthma medications are more vulnerable to tooth decay. If your young one is on any medication, consult your dentist at Model Dental Clinic and enquire about the frequency of brushing.

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