A Parent’s Guide to Dental Health
As a parent, one of your most important roles is to teach your child how to care for their teeth. While those first little baby teeth will eventually fall out, they give your child the chance to learn how to properly brush their teeth to prevent tooth decay. These dental health tips for parents help you develop an oral hygiene routine that lays the foundation for a healthy smile.
Why Brushing is Particularly Important for Children
Oral hygiene for toddlers and other young children typically focuses on establishing proper toothbrushing techniques. Brushing a baby’s teeth helps them to get used to the sensations generated by having a soft brush rub against their gums. For toddlers and older children, brushing teeth helps to remove food debris and biofilm that eventually turns into tartar and plaque. Providing oral education early on for children makes it clear to them that toothbrushing is a normal part of their daily routine that helps to prevent cavities and gum disease.
Dental Hygiene for Parents
Getting children to brush their teeth is not always as easy as it sounds. However, providing oral hygiene instructions for your child is much easier when you start as early as possible. In fact, one of the most important things that you can do to improve oral hygiene for toddlers is to include time for toothbrushing in their daily routine.
Giving oral hygiene instructions for a child should be done with patience. Remember that you may have to repeat yourself to help reinforce the proper way to brush teeth. As you provide dental hygiene instructions for kids, take the time to model each step. Your child can also practice using a stuffed animal or their own mouth as you guide them through the dental health tips for kids. These oral care tips are perfect for giving dental hygiene instructions for kids.
Oral Care Tips for Kids
•Keep oral hygiene supplies in an easily accessible part of your home
•Explain why you perform each step in the oral hygiene routine
•Model good habits by brushing your teeth together
•Set a timer so kids know how long to keep brushing
•Be prepared to follow up by helping them finish brushing their teeth
Dental Hygiene for Toddlers
Oral hygiene for toddlers requires you to be even more involved with their care routine. Toddlers typically need frequent reminders to brush their teeth, and you may need to make it extra fun to appeal to their shorter attention spans. Toddlers may also be sensitive to certain flavors of toothpaste, and they need your help to make sure that they use the appropriate amount on their toothbrush. One of the most important dental health tips for parents of toddlers is to make sure to use a toothpaste that is meant for children under the age of four. You also need to only use a pea-sized amount on their brush. These dental health tips for preschoolers are a great way to start reinforcing healthy habits.
Oral Care Tips for Toddlers
•Choose hygiene supplies meant for your child’s age
•Sing songs or play music to keep hold your child’s interest as they brush
•Always follow up by brushing their teeth after they try
•Experiment with toothpaste flavors to find one they like
Dental Hygiene for Babies
Oral education for children begins when your baby is still in infancy. Fortunately, your role in their dental hygiene routine is fairly simple when your baby is still growing in their first teeth. Start by understanding that you can begin even before the first tooth emerges by using a soft, clean washcloth or finger brush to wipe away milk from your baby’s gums. You can do this after each of their meals. Once their first tooth emerges, you can then use a baby toothbrush to keep it clean and continue to brush twice a day until your baby is old enough to help. These two oral care tips for babies will help you start caring for those first tiny teeth.
Oral Care Tips for Babies
•Use a small toothbrush designed for infants
•Make it a habit to brush your baby’s teeth and gums twice a day