Did you know that children with poor dental health often miss more school and receive lower grades than children with good dental health? And, did you know that about 20 percent of children ages 5 to 11 have at least one untreated cavity?
Luckily, your child doesn’t need to be a part of these statistics. There are simple things you can do to improve your child’s dental health.
Check out this children’s dental health guide to learn the top tips that every parent needs to know.
1. Take Your Kids to the Dentist Regularly
Just like adults, children need to go to the dentist on a regular basis in order to prevent cavities, gum disease, and other oral health issues.
Your child’s first dental exam should be done before their first birthday. After that, you’ll want to continue to take your child to the dentist twice per year.
As they get older, make sure you help your child understand the importance of these exams. Let them know that the dentist is not a scary place and that the dentist is there to help them grow strong and healthy teeth.
2. Teach Your Kids How to Properly Brush Their Teeth
In addition to making sure your kids are brushing their teeth twice per day, you also want to make sure that your kids are brushing their teeth the right way.
Make sure your kids are brushing their teeth for at least two minutes and that they’re moving the toothbrush in small circles. You can also buy your child a kid-friendly electric toothbrush so they don’t have to worry about getting the motion right.
And, don’t forget about flossing. Your children should floss at least once per day.
Supervise your children brushing and flossing their teeth until you’re confident that they can do it on their own.
3. Motivate Your Kids to Practice Good Oral Hygiene
The more fun you make oral hygiene, the more excited your kids will be to brush and floss their teeth and go to the dentist.
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Luckily, there are a lot of resources out there that can help you make oral hygiene fun for your kids. For example, if you’re about to take your child to the dentist, you can read them a children’s book about visiting the dentist or about dentistry for children.
You can also buy a dental toy set for your child so they can pretend like they’re a real dentist and even practice brushing fake teeth.
4. Be a Role Model
It’s a lot easier to get your kids on board with good dental hygiene if you’re also on board. To show your kids how it’s done, make sure you’re brushing and flossing twice per day and going to the dentist twice a year.
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If you want, you can brush your teeth with your children and play music while brushing to make it more fun. If your kids see you practicing good dental hygiene, they’ll want to emulate you.
Children’s Dental Health: Is Your Child Ready for the Dentist?
Now that you’ve read this children’s dental health guide, it’s time to put these tips into action. With these tips, your child will be on the road to good oral health.
Be sure to check back in with our blog for more dental-related news and tips.