Teaching your child about the importance of dental care is one of the most important things you can do for their health. Cementing the basics and fundamentals of cleaning their teeth is going to determine the future of their oral health. In order to prevent common dental problems like cavities, periodontal diseases, orthodontic treatments, or cosmetic dentistry treatments, your child needs to be proactive about their personal dental care early on. Allow Dr. Sowers to guide you on how to give your child easy tips and explanations to get them started on their oral health journey, today!
Explain The Importance Of A Healthy Diet
A healthy diet sets the foundation for a healthy body and a healthy set of teeth. It’s important for your child to know that while certain foods may be more enjoyable to eat or tastier to the palette, they are not necessarily the best choice. Sugary foods create a breeding ground for bad bacteria that attacks your child’s tooth enamel. They sugar-laden foods also tend to be sticky and gummy and are more prone to getting stuck in between teeth. The best foods are vegetables that are high in fiber, drinks that are light, clear, and light in sugar, and foods that are low in acidity.
Make Brushing Their Teeth A Part Of Their Routine
Brushing your teeth is very important. To children, however, it can seem tiresome or boring. One of the best tricks that we have found to aid in teaching your child to brush their teeth daily is to sing a song that lasts 2 minutes. Really, any song can be adjusted to fit this criterion, so feel free to pick a song that you think is appropriate and fun for your child. A popular suggestion that we hear about often is to sing the ABC’s three times. The best thing about choosing this song? They can learn an important song while completing an important task, together!
Floss & Mouthwash—They’re Important, Too!
While brushing your teeth is a key component of keeping your teeth healthy, flossing and using mouthwash daily are just as important. These less popular unsung heroes of oral health assist in keeping your child’s oral health in line. Floss helps reach crevices in between your child’s gums that their toothbrush cannot and mouthwash will shake lose any debris left behind by food that can be found in between your teeth as well. If your child is very young and has not become dexterous enough to handle a string of floss, try a water flosser! It’s an easier-to-use alternative that will make the whole process quicker to complete!
Our Family Dentistry Can’t Wait To See You!
Although all the dental care tasks mentioned above are extremely essential to your child’s oral health, don’t forget about a big one—making regular appointments and checkups with your favorite Lincon, NE, dentist Dr. Sowers! Not only are these visits crucial to maintaining your child’s dental health, they also help establish a foundation of trust between patient and doctor so that your child doesn’t develop qualms or fears about going to the dentist. Call our office at (402) 475-8710 to reach our helpful staff or set up an appointment online, today!