A child with beautiful teeth is set out to have an easier life. The smiles that he or she can offer will bring delight to the hearts of many people. If you want your kids to have awesome smiles, then you need to set up a practical home oral care plan.
Guelph Royal Dental Centre is here to guide you on making such an oral health regimen. Through this article, you will learn about some essential points to consider.
The Ace of Oral Care: Brushing
Children love to do many things every day, but they’re not too excited about brushing. But if your kids love to brush, then you’re somehow lucky. You don’t need to go to great lengths just to convince them to brush.
What if they’re not excited? Then the best thing that you can do is to create a scenario. Try to show the struggle between great oral habits and harmful bacteria. Keep pushing until the kids get the message. If you deliver the message properly, your kids will see the importance of brushing their teeth.
Here is a quick checklist of brushing reminders for your children:
- Consistent upward and downward strokes on upper and lower teeth.
- Molars should never be forgotten.
- The acceptable time frame for brushing is 3 minutes.
- The tongue should be brushed too
- The best brushing frequency is 3x a day
When it comes to brushing, fluoride will always come up. This chemical can be found in toothpaste, soil, water, and other types of products. It’s safe to say that fluoride is everywhere. A reasonable amount of fluoride is safe for your children. In fact, fluoride aids in tooth decay prevention and teeth strengthening.
Rule of thumb: a pea-sized amount of fluoride (toothpaste, in this case) is acceptable. Also, kids don’t need mouthwash, unless recommended by the dentist. While mouthwash can clean teeth and kill bacteria, it can cause dryness and gum irritation.
What are the consequences once your kids have ingested too much fluoride? Simple: dental fluorosis and skeletal fluorosis. Your kids’ teeth and bones will weaken, and they will become more vulnerable to neurological complications.
Check out some essential brushing tips:
- Brush upper and lower teeth thoroughly, but molars shouldn’t be forgotten
- The acceptable range of brushing is 3 minutes
- The tongue must be brushed too, but focus on the tip
- Before brushing, it’s essential to wait for at least 15 minutes to let the food acids settle
- Brushing should be done 2-3x a day
Go Against Sugar
Gone are the old days of natural sugar – today, we have sugar bombs. Basically, sugar bombs are hard candies, toffee, sweet stuff, and drinks that are overloaded with artificial sweeteners. If you ever think that banning sugar bombs is easy, then you need to think again. Children know how to hide their sweets from adults. It’s unrealistic to put a 100% ban policy on sugar, but you can make adjustments.
It’s advisable to find better and healthier alternatives to sweets or sugar bombs. The best options are healthy yet delicious oatmeal biscuits, fresh fruit slices (DIY prep), almond nuts or boiled peanuts, and boiled corn mixed with carrots (DIY prep as well). Water is also a holistic alternative to sodas and concentrated fruit drinks. In case your kids want a dash of pleasant flavour, you can try making lemon water. Try to experiment with other fruit and water combinations.
Step Towards Better Nutrition
The best dental nutrition starts at home, but you need to assess your stock of valuable and healthy foods. The excellent options are green leafy vegetables, fibrous foods, soybean, nuts, fresh yogurt, natural cheese, and protein-rich fish (just watch out for mercury content). Avoid processed foods – they won’t do any good! Junk foods like potato chips are also notorious for chipping teeth and building plaque.
Just remember that you don’t need to stop poor eating choices in a snap. It takes time and methodical adjustment. Instead of rushing things and stressing your kids, you should build awareness and let your kids understand the advantages of the right nutrition.
Professional Oral Care Makes A Difference
Early dental appointments are essential. During the period of early childhood, the dentist will catch teeth damage and issues that have only started. As the dental appointments become continuous, your family dentist can share some useful oral care tips and insights. These insights are helpful for your kids’ dental health and development. More importantly, you can help your kids prepare for future dental procedures.
Conclusion
Forming the best oral health habits for your kids is anything but easy. You need proper planning, a ton of patience, and even adjustment of your daily schedule. If you’re somehow overwhelmed by this task, just focus on the benefits that your kids can get. Eventually, your kids will be thankful!
Do you want to make a comprehensive oral health plan for your kids? Guelph Royal Dental Centre is here to guide you. Contact us anytime for a consultation or an appointment!