As we observe National Children’s Dental Health Month, we want to take the opportunity to remind parents of some simple yet effective tips to prevent cavities.
These small changes can go a long way in keeping your child’s smile healthy, helping them enjoy a fulfilling childhood and ensuring their dental health stays strong.
With a little attention to oral care, you can set them up for a lifetime of healthy habits. Let’s look at how you can help protect those precious teeth!
Brushing
Use a 45-degree angle to the gums to prepare for brushing.
When brushing, use short, gentle back and forth strokes. Avoid brushing too hard, as this could potentially damage the teeth or gums.
Brush all of the surfaces of the teeth, both front and back, as well as the chewing surfaces. Plaque builds up on all surfaces, so it’s important they all get cleaned properly.
When cleaning the back of the front teeth, use a vertical tilt with the brush and simple up and down strokes, again keeping the pressure on the brush light.
Don’t forget to brush the tongue! Brushing the tongue removes bacteria and helps to freshen the breath. Make this a regular part of your child’s brushing routine.
Around the age of five or six, children will begin losing their baby teeth. The first loose tooth is always an exciting time, but it’s understandable for children to be a little anxious when it happens, as it can be uncomfortable.
As a parent, this experience can also be worrisome (especially if you’re a first time parent)!
Here are a couple of tips to make sure that the transition is as easy as possible for both you and your child. Our goal is to make sure that their teeth come out safely and provide an overall good experience.
We, along with the American Dental Association, recommend children have their first dentist visit around their 1st birthday or by the time their first tooth erupts, whichever comes first. Early visits help to ensure your child is experiencing proper oral development. Early visits also get your child comfortable with going to the dentist and having them look around in their mouth.
Their first visit can be worrisome for them and for you, whether it’s their first visit ever, or their first visit with a new dentist.
To help prepare them as best you can, here are some of our top tips for setting them up for success:
