Maintaining proper dental hygiene is one of the greatest responsibilities we have as adults, not just for ourselves, but also for our children, as doing so can help to prevent early tooth decay from occurring. Across the United States, pediatric dentists work with kids to take care of their teeth and make sure they remain in good shape until they reach their adult years. There are, in fact, a number of ways to take care of dental hygiene for kids and that’s what this article will be looking at.
- Take them to the Family Dentist Twice a year: One way to take care of dental hygiene for kids is to take them to see a dentist at least twice a year. Most dentists will recommend seeing the dentist at least twice a year, or about once every six months. This allows the dentist to keep a regular eye on the state of the patient’s teeth, and will also allow them to work quickly if problems are detected.
- Don’t Let them Drink Sports Drinks or Energy Drinks: Another way to take care of dental hygiene for kids is to not allow them to drink sports drinks or energy drinks of any kind. As much as sports drinks are harmful to your teeth, researchers found that exposure to energy drinks such as Rockstar, Monster®, and Red Bull® resulted in twice as much enamel loss as exposure to sports drinks such as Powerade®, Gatorade®, and Propel® (3.1 percent to 1.5 percent). Any of these drinks can do major damage to tooth enamel, so it’s best to not allow your kids to drink them.
- Encourage Regular Brushing and Flossing at Home: And finally, a third way to take care of dental hygiene for kids is to encourage regular brushing and flossing at home. As a general rule, teeth should be brushed at least twice a day, once in the morning and once at night, while flossing should occur at least once a day. If your children are particularly young and want to resist doing this, make the activity more palatable for them by selecting toothpastes that are sweetly flavored, and purchase floss that will be gentle on gums. Doing so can encourage young children to brush and floss their teeth without fear.
In conclusion, there are several ways to take care of dental hygiene for kids. These ways include taking them to the family dentist twice a year, not letting them drink sports drinks or energy drinks, and encouraging regular brushing and flossing of their teeth. These are just a few of the ways to take care of dental hygiene for kids.