Early dental care plays a very vital role in the dental health and overall well-being of our children. As parents and caregivers, it is important to understand the significance of prioritizing pediatric dental care to ensure your child’s optimal dental development and long-term oral health.
Establishing a healthy oral routine ensures a lifetime of strong, healthy teeth and helps keep your children’s smiles beautiful. It also helps them develop a positive attitude towards oral hygiene and reduces the likelihood of dental anxiety.
However, neglecting it can have potential long-term implications.
Untreated dental problems in childhood, such as malocclusion or cavities, can lead to more severe problems in adulthood and these may include gum disease, tooth loss, and even systemic health issues like cardiovascular disease.
Still, life with kids can seem unpredictable. So, how do you build good oral hygiene habits? Or, what do you do when a dental emergency happens?
Let’s read on…
Building Good Oral Hygiene Habits In Children
Building good oral hygiene habits in children early on is essential for maintaining strong, healthy teeth and gums. By doing this, you can ensure that your children have a strong foundation for optimal dental health.
The following are step-by-step instructions for guiding your children in proper brushing and flossing:
1. Brushing Technique
- Use a soft-bristled toothbrush and a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste with it.
- Place the toothbrush at a 45-degree angle to the teeth.
- Brush back and forth, gently in small circular motions.
- Pay close attention to each tooth surface, including the front, back, and chewing surfaces.
- Brush the tongue regularly to remove bacteria and freshen your breath.
2. Flossing Technique
- Always use a child-friendly flossing tool, to floss.
- Move the floss gently between each tooth, making a C-shape around the tooth.
- Move the floss up and down, gently to remove plaque and any food particles.
- Do this process repeatedly for each tooth, including the back teeth.
Age-Appropriate Oral Hygiene Habits
As soon as children are old enough to understand the importance of brushing and flossing, commit them to a lifetime of taking care of their teeth and gums at home.
Here is a guideline for tailoring oral hygiene habits according to a child’s age and development stage:
- Infants (0-2 years): Wipe your baby’s gums with a clean, damp cloth after feedings. You can then introduce a soft-bristled baby toothbrush once teeth start erupting. Brush with water or a smear of fluoride toothpaste twice a day.
- Preschoolers (3-5 years): Brush continually with a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste twice daily. Supervise them while brushing to ensure proper technique and consistency. You can begin flossing once adjacent teeth touch.
- School-Aged Children (6+ years): Brush with a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste for two minutes, twice a day. Encourage brushing independently, but supervise at certain times to ensure thoroughness. Ensure regular flossing to clean between teeth. You can consider introducing mouthwash that is appropriate for their age.
- Teenagers (Ages 13 – 18): This is a critical time for children’s dental care, according to experts. The rate of cavities rises during this time because teens may not have experienced cavities as kids and slack off with their dental hygiene. Do not let them let go of their oral care habits, otherwise it may continue into adulthood.
Making Oral Hygiene Exciting and Engaging
Children are more likely to embrace oral hygiene when it is fun.
Here are some tips to make brushing and flossing a positive and fun experience:
- Let your child choose a toothbrush that has their favourite cartoon character or colour.
- Play their favourite song or set a timer for two minutes to make brushing more engaging and fun.
- Brush and floss together as a family to make it a shared experience.
- You can create a reward chart to keep track of successful oral hygiene routines.
- Read children’s books or watch videos about oral hygiene to educate and entertain them.
Remember that building good oral hygiene habits requires consistency and positive reinforcement. By following these recommended tips and making oral hygiene enjoyable, you can set your children up for a lifetime of healthy smiles.
Encouraging Regular Dental Visits
Children’s dental care begins very early in life. According to experts, a baby’s first visit to the dentist should happen immediately after the first tooth appears and no later than the first birthday, for even tiny baby teeth can get cavities.
Regular dental visits are an essential part of maintaining good dental health for children. By prioritizing these visits, you can help prevent dental issues and address any concerns before they become worrisome.
Take advantage of your child’s first dental exam to ask the pediatric dentist questions regarding your child’s dental care.
Here are some important points to consider when encouraging regular dental visits for your child:
The Importance of Regular Dental Visits
Regular dental visits play a crucial role in monitoring your child’s oral health and detecting any potential issues early. These visits allow the dentist to assess your child’s teeth and gums, identify any signs of decay, cavities, or other dental issues, and provide the necessary treatment or preventative measures.
Research has shown that early detection and treatment of dental problems in children can lead to better oral health outcomes in the long run. By taking your children on regular dental visits, you can ensure that any developing dental issues are identified and addressed quickly, preventing them from becoming more serious and costly to treat.
The Recommended Frequency of Dental Visits
Experts recommend that children visit the dentist every six months for routine dental visits. These frequent visits are vital for maintaining good oral health, particularly during childhood when dental issues like cavities are more common.
It is important for you as a parent to understand that prevention is important in dental care. Regular dental visits allow the dentist to clean your child’s teeth thoroughly, remove any build-up of plaque, and may apply topical fluoride treatments that can strengthen the tooth enamel and prevent tooth decay.
By adhering to these recommended visits, you can ensure that your child’s oral health is consistently monitored and any potential issues are addressed quickly and early on.
Addressing Common Concerns and Fears
As a parent, it is natural for you to have concerns or fears when it comes to your child’s dental visits.
However, it is crucial to remember that pediatric dentists are specially trained to handle children’s unique needs and are skilled in providing a comfortable and supportive environment.
If you have concerns or questions about your child’s dental visit, do not hesitate to communicate them directly with the dentist. They can provide reassurances and address any particular concerns you may have.
To help alleviate your child’s anxiety during these visits, consider using these distraction techniques such as bringing their favorite toy or book to the dental visit. Positive reinforcement, such as praising your child for their bravery, can also go a long way in making them feel more at ease.
Teaching Your Children About Good Nutrition
The first rule that comes to mind when we talk about nutrition and healthy teeth is limiting sugar intake. This can be difficult to abstain from when it comes to children.
The following tips can be useful in limiting sugar intake in children:
- Give your children sugary treats only after mealtime, for this is the time when saliva produced in the mouth is at its peak and helps protect their teeth.
- Store excess sweets in sealed bags and firmly establish set times for when your child can have a sugary treat.
- Let your children floss often, as this removes hard candy particles. If this proves to be a battle for you, consider using flossers that feature your child’s favourite character to make flossing fun.
- Encourage your children to drink more water, which helps flush the sugar and prevents tooth decay.
It is also helpful to include in their diet, foods that build strong teeth. Experts claim that cheese is one of the healthiest snacks for children’s teeth. It provides not only the much-needed calcium but also stimulates the salivary glands to clear the mouth of food debris and protect the teeth from acids, disrupting the formation of cavities.
Other foods that can be included in your child’s diet that promote well-rounded dental care include lean meats, fruits, vegetables, and nuts.
Looking Out for Gingivitis and Teeth Grinding in Your Child
If you are more likely to get gingivitis, also known as gum disease, your child could get it too.
Parents have been advised to contact the dentist at the first sign of pain when their child is brushing or flossing to prevent gum disease or cavities from becoming worse.
Children can also be prone to getting bruxism – that is, teeth grinding or jaw clenching. They may grind their teeth because their jaws aren’t properly aligned, or respond to pain experienced from teething or earaches. This often occurs during deep sleep or when they undergo stress.
While many of them may outgrow bruxism with little or no lasting damage, severe cases can chip teeth, wear down tooth enamel, or cause painful jaw problems, such as temporomandibular joint disease (TMJ). Carefully observing the problem at home and visiting the dental clinic regularly helps keep bruxism in check until it is outgrown or treated with a special night guard.
Having a Plan for Your Child’s Dental Care Emergencies
It’s all fun and games until a child loses a tooth. Accidents do happen!
Ensure you have a plan for emergencies related to your children’s dental care.
Ideally, the pediatric dental clinic you choose should offer emergency services. Ensure you have your child’s dentist contact on hand so you can make a call promptly whenever an issue arises.
And if your child does play sports, consider getting a mouthguard to cushion blows to the mouth and prevent some dental emergencies.
Be involved and intentional about your child’s dental care! Let them have that healthy smile!!
Dr. Favvy
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Disclaimer
The information on this blog is just for educational purposes only.
It should not be used as a replacement for the medical care and advise of your child’s pediatrician.
Always consult your pharmacist before giving your child any drug.
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