3 Tips to Start Your Child on the Path to Good Dental Health

The simple truth is that good dental health starts young (and at home). Surprisingly, almost 40–50% of young children have cavities. This has gone down over the last few years, which is a good thing. It means that more and more parents are getting their children off to a good start when it comes to their dental health. 

Worried about your children's dental health? Here are some tips to get them started on the right path.

Start early. 

Good dental care needs to start early before they even get their first tooth! In fact, you can start by wiping their mouth out regularly with a wet cloth until they get their first tooth. 

After that, you can start brushing their teeth (or tooth) with only a pea-sized amount of toothpaste. Once your children are a few years old, you can start to involve them. Let them start brushing their teeth. However, once they are done, you need to do a more thorough job of brushing. You may need to continue to watch their brushing until they are seven or eight years old. 

Let them pick their toothbrush (and paste).

Toothbrushes and paste come in lots of colors and flavors for a reason. Children will get more excited to brush their teeth if they can use their own brush with their favorite character on it. They will also be more likely to brush if they like the flavor of the toothpaste. So, let them pick bubblegum-flavored toothpaste with their favorite princess on. It will make this time go that much smoother.

Some children do best with rewards when it comes to brushing their teeth. 

Though you want your children to know that good dental health is important as they age, the truth is that they won't understand what that means until they are older. 

So, what can you do? You can start a reward-based method. Unfortunately, getting a snack for brushing your teeth doesn't make any sense. Instead, you may want to have a sticker chart where they can add a new sticker every time they brush their teeth! 

Be a good example.

One of the best ways that children learn is by watching those around them. If you are serious about your own dental health, your children will see. They will watch you brush your teeth at night, even if you got home late. They will notice that flossing is just as important if they see you floss as often as you can. 

They will also notice how you talk about the dentist. If you don't go to the dentist regularly because of your own fear, it won't take long until they feel the same way. Do not bring up your fears to your child or you will have to fight with him or her every six months. 

That being said, you also need to get them used to the dentist early. 

Most dentists recommend bringing children in when they are one year old. This helps them get used to the dentist by making sure that every visit is a positive one. Your children will also learn about the importance of good dental care from the dentist and their assistants. This will just reinforce what you are teaching at home. 

In Summary 

The best way to get your children off to a good start when it comes to good dental health is to start teaching them early. You should wipe your child's mouth out with a warm cloth before his or her first tooth comes in! Then, you can start brushing as soon as you can. Let your child choose his or her toothbrush and paste to help get your child excited about brushing. 

You also need to show them how important it is to you. Let your children watch you brush and floss your teeth. If possible, take him or her to the dentist with you so that your child can see that it is not a scary place. It also helps to start taking your child to the dentist after his or her first birthday, whether or not there is a tooth. 

If your child hasn't had a dental checkup lately, don't hesitate to contact us or schedule an appointment today. Here at Steelecroft Dental, we would be glad to help you keep your children on the right path when it comes to their dental health.