A child with excellent dental health will have fewer teeth-related problems over the years. This will create a positive impact on the child, and the parent won’t have to deal with substantial dental expenses later. If you want to prepare a dental health regimen for your kids, you should start immediately.

We’ve got you covered. In this article, we will discuss the essential things that you have to do for your kids’ oral health betterment.

Fluoride & Dental Health

Fluoride is a vital chemical that helps prevent teeth decay and strengthens teeth. The most popular source of fluoride is toothpaste, but it can also be found in soil and water. Chemical-based products also contain fluoride. Somehow, you can say that fluoride is everywhere.

While a safe amount of fluoride is beneficial for your kids, having too much can be harmful. You should only put small smears of fluoride in your kids’ toothbrushes. Anything above a pea-sized smear is beyond the acceptable limit. Also, be careful not to let your kids use mouthwash – unless recommended by your family dentist!

What are the consequences if your kids are exposed to a high fluoride concentration? This can lead to dental fluorosis and skeletal fluorosis – weakening of the bones and teeth. Other problems include thyroid issues and neurological complications.

Brushing 101

Children love to do many things every single day – yet they’re not too excited with brushing. If your kids love to brush, then you’ve already won one-fourth of the battle. To help your kids get excited about brushing, try to explore a scenario. Example: you can show how bad bacteria attempt to overtake the mouth. Consider toothpaste and toothbrush as heroes that will save the day. Once the kids absorbed the analogy, you can now teach them the proper way to brush.

Brushing is an essential dental activity because it can be fully controlled. If your kids know how to brush effectively, their teeth will have strong chances against plaque formation and decay.

Here are some brushing methods to remember:

  • Brush upper and lower teeth vigorously, but don’t forget the molars
  • Observe the time – the acceptable range is 3 minutes
  • The tip of the tongue must fast food as well
  • Your kids don’t need to brush right away after a meal – they can wait for 15 minutes to let the mouth adjust
  • Brushing should be done 3x a day

Fight the Sugar Bombs!

Sugar bombs are candies, sweet stuff, and drinks that are overloaded with artificial sugar or sweeteners. If you ever think that banning sugar bombs from your household is easy, then you need to think again. Children know how to hide their sweets like intelligent foxes, and they also know how to consume sugary drinks whenever the adults aren’t looking. While you can’t totally ban candies and sweets from your home, you can set a standard limit. Try to put your sweets in hard-to-reach places.

It’s also advisable to find better and healthier alternatives to sweets. The best options are healthy yet delicious oatmeal biscuits, fresh fruit slices (DIY), almond nuts, or boiled corn mixed with carrots or peas (DIY as well). Water is also a valuable alternative to sodas and concentrated fruit drinks. In case your kids want additional flavour, you can try making lemon water – best for hot afternoons!

Build Proper Dental Health Nutrition

The best dental nutrition starts at home, but you need to have a stock of valuable and healthy foods. The excellent options are fish, fresh cheese, yogurt, fruits, green leafy vegetables, soybean, and nuts. You should also pick foods that are high in fibre. If your kids love eating fast foods, then you should stop them as soon as possible. Fast foods and processed foods are detrimental to your kids’ health. Aside from teeth weakening, your kids will be at risk of obesity and other problems.

You don’t need to stop the habit in a snap. It takes time and adjustment. Instead of rushing things, you must focus on raising awareness and letting your kids understand the advantages of proper nutrition.

Professional Oral Care Goes A Long Way

Early dental appointments are crucial. At this period, the dentist will catch teeth damage and issues that are only beginning. As the appointments become continuous, your family dentist can share some useful dental care tips and insights. Such insights are useful for your kids’ home oral care plan.

Final Reminders

Forming the best dental habits for your kids is easier said than done. You need proper planning, deep patience, and even adjustment of your schedule. If you’re somehow overwhelmed by the task, just focus on the benefits. Your kids will be more than thankful someday!

Do you want to create a dental health regimen for your kids? Waterloo Emergency Dental Care Clinic is here to offer help! Contact us today to schedule your kids’ next appointment!