As a parent it is only natural for you to want the best for you child: best education, best health, best future–but what about best teeth?
Just under three-forths of adult believe that a good smile is important for career success; and yet, almost half of all Americans over 30 have some form of periodontal malady. A likely reason is that adults are coming to the conclusion that dental health is important only after it is too late.
That?s why it is so important for you and the childrens dentist to instill the principles of good dental hygiene in children, even at a young age if you want them to have their best smile and white teeth as adults.
Making Brushing Fun!
The best way to teach a child is to make them want to learn. There are any number of simple tips. For instance, you can buy animal shaped tooth brushes, or you can provide positive reinforcement for every tooth successfully brushed. Another great technique is to let your child ?brush? your teeth in exchange for brushing theirs.
Visit The Dentist Early
When should you visit the family dentist with your baby? When the first tooth appears or before their first birthday. Even this early, it is important to maintain your child?s oral health. And beyond that, growing up visiting the dentist often will help normalize the experience and help combat the common fear of the childrens dentist.
Listen
Our brains are hardwired to avoid pain and other negative reinforcement, so one of the quickest ways to make your child never want to brush again is to be too rough. This sounds like a no brainer, but it is easier than you might think to use too much force, or scrap the gums with the bristles. If your child says it hurts, listen to them and talk about it: does it really hurt or do you just not like it?
Avoiding Juice and Other Sweet Drinks
Children love juice, and what?s more juice companies love children. There are a lot of advertisements targeting children and parents, marketing juice as a better alternative to soda. And while it certainly is, juice still isn?t an ideal choice for your child. Limit their consumption or cut the juice with an equal part of water.
Even if the child still has their baby teeth, it is important to teach them the rigorous principle of tooth care and to take them to the childrens dentist, so as adults they have a healthy, bright smile.