When we have kids there are a lot of things that we are careful about. From choosing the best clothing items to making sure they have the best food, parents do a lot. The sad part is, parents neglect the dental health of their kids the most. Anything that is not very prominent, we naturally tend to ignore it. Caring for your child’s dental health should be your priority. Whatever they eat goes through their mouth, and if the first place is not clean then it will ruin their overall health.
Begin at an early age:
Parents think that oral health or maintenance of oral hygiene only begins after the milk teeth fall. But this is not the case because it starts as soon as the first tooth arrives. It is said and recommended that you should begin to brush your kids’ teeth after the arrival of the first tooth. When they start to eat the growth of bacteria also begins. So, make sure that you start to make them brush right after their first teeth so they grow habitual of doing that on an everyday basis.
Give your kids’ dentist a regular visit:
One of the most common things that we neglect is the visit to our dentist. All of us think that brushing our teeth twice a day is enough to maintain our oral hygiene. This is not true, because we should at least give a visit to the dentist once every six months if not three. The same is the case with your kids’ oral hygiene. Do not ever neglect to make them visit their dentist every 6 months at least. This will help you stay aware of if there are any cavities or problems with your teeth.
Their dental routine should be fun:
It happens naturally that kids tend to ignore their dental routine because they find it boring. When they do not follow their dental routine properly, then automatically their oral health deteriorates. So, to keep them hooked on their dental routine, you should make it fun. Tell them things like If they will follow their routine you will reward them weekly. This way they will try to maintain their dental health routine. Once the kids build their routine then you will not need to do a lot, they will automatically follow it.
To make the brushing routine fun, you can also add poems in the background. You can also make them watch brushing routine cartoons to keep them motivated to brush.
Let the kids make the choices:
To maintain the kids’ confidence you must let them make their own choices. It starts from letting them choose their own supplies even if it is something as simple as brushing. This will attract the kids to be better at maintaining their oral hygiene. When they are making choices of the supplies of their oral hygiene routine, they will happily do everything. Buy essentials that are colorful or are in different shapes so they enjoy their dental routine. Tell them you will take them on a shopping trip to buy these essentials if they promise they will follow a routine.
Flossing is also important:
All of us have a problem that we think only brushing is important when it comes to dental hygiene. This is not true because there are also other essentials to be followed. One such thing along with brushing is flossing. We understand that flossing is a little tricky to understand for kids but you can still make it fun for them. There are baby-friendly flossing objects that will make flossing enjoyable for babies. You can give them a try.
Tell them the right techniques:
While we understand that brushing is really important, using the right techniques is even more important. If you are not brushing your teeth properly, it is mostly just movement. Once your kids have developed a proper routine for brushing, start telling them what are the right techniques for brushing. Get them a small toothbrush that fits their hands and their mouth. Then tell them how they need to make the right use of it. You can also brush their teeth for them until you are sure they are capable of doing it on their own. When they will see you doing it properly, they will also follow in the same footsteps.
Diet and sugar:
You will not only need to brush your teeth, but to maintain your kids’ dental hygiene, you will need to take care of their diet. You need to give them a significantly balanced diet so you can maintain their dental hygiene. You need to understand that you will have to cut down their sugar intake so that their teeth are saved from cavities. Give them healthy foods, and make water necessary for them, so that their oral health is fully maintained. Explore more about healthy diets and dental health.
Lead them by your own example:
You must have heard this before, but kids indeed do what they see you doing. You will have to be a role model for them to make them follow a routine. If they will see you neglecting your routine and not brushing your teeth, they will see the same. If they will see you doing things, they will automatically do it. If you want them to follow any routine, start by doing them on your own first. With that, make these activities fun for them so they enjoy.
Conclusion:
With everything else that parents think is important, they should also give dental health special attention. Maintaining your kids’ dental health is as important as changing their clothes every single day. You should keep a proper check on their oral hygiene and make sure they are clean. Consider it as a proper investment because this will help them in the long run. Make the right choices now, so you along with your kids do not have to regret not doing it later.
