While you may find that you’re left with a nagging headache after helping your children to brush their teeth, this seemingly impossible task is actually possible. Before you cringe at the thought of the next bathroom routine, there are small, easy changes that you can apply to your children’s dental care that will make all the difference. Dentists can be scary, add in toothache and you’re looking at a miserable experience. The goal is to have happy, healthy and smiling little patients.
Here are a few of our tips on how to look after your children’s teeth.
Dental Visits Are A Must
Regular visits to your dentist in Newcastle are a must to curb future issues and to efficiently find any issues as they surface. When your child’s teeth first come through their gums it is a good idea to bring them in, ideally by their second birthday. Doing this from a young age helps bring some normalcy and calm into the trips to the dentists and instils good dental habits for life.
Hold The Sugar
There are a number of health reasons that make sugar a big no-no. When it comes to dental health, we have to agree. Try to reduce the amount and frequency of sugar, just once a day is the dream. Be careful of those ‘healthy’ snacks as some fruits can contain more sugar than the recommended daily intake for children. Getting your children to brush their teeth or rinse their mouths with water after chewing a sugar-filled delight will aid in the removal of sugar which tends to stick to their pearly whites and quickly ends in tooth rot and decay if left for too long.
Routines Are Essential
Creating new healthy routines or adjusting others can make a world of difference to your child and his or her dental care. For instance, making the rule that no eating or drinking anything other than water an hour before bed will make a big difference to their dental health. The importance of this time is that saliva production slows down when we sleep so any decaying acid will remain on the teeth for longer.
Dental Hygiene From A Young Age
As soon as those baby teeth pop through you should be brushing them. At around six months of age, you can use an age-appropriate toothbrush. The goal will be to brush for two minutes every time, ensuring top and bottom is cleaned as well as their tongue. Brushing should be supervised until at least the age of seven. The earlier you introduce flossing, the better.
Taking care of your little one’s smile with ensure bright and dazzling teeth as well as healthy habits and a healthy constitution for life. If you’d like to know more about keeping your tot’s teeth sparkling, contact us today to book your next appointment or for any advice you may need.
