Do you know that more than 46% of children who are six years old in Canada suffer from dental caries of baby teeth? A child with dental caries is at risk of developing tooth sensitivity, gum diseases, and throbbing pain. But how do you prevent dental caries in children?
Having your children practice good oral hygiene can prevent dental caries. This involves brushing teeth regularly, flossing once a day, eating a healthy diet, and visiting the children’s dentist.
Let’s be honest: brushing teeth and flossing is something most kids don’t like. Then how do you make your kids develop good oral hygiene habits? Continue reading this article to learn seven ways of teaching kids good oral care habits.
1. Early Cleaning of Teeth
The cleaning of kids’ teeth should begin immediately after the teeth erupt. However, the cleaning of gums and teeth should be done using a soft washcloth at this stage. Early cleaning of teeth makes the kids get used to the process. After the kids are old enough, make them understand what you are doing and why it’s crucial.
2. Brushing and Flossing Together
Children have the habit of mimicking what their parents are doing. Brushing teeth together with your kids arouses their interest in oral hygiene. Furthermore, you can teach excellent brushing techniques to your kids if you brush together. But how do you ensure children don’t get bored by the daily routine? Changing the brushing spot or sink can help eliminate the monotonous of the daily brushing routine.
3. Special Toothbrush and Toothpaste
Brushing might not be exciting to kids, but a special toothbrush and toothpaste will make the difference. Kids love engaging and playing with kid-friendly products. A toothbrush with special features such as bright colours and images will entice the children. Toothpaste with fun flavours such as strawberry or watermelon flavours will also do the trick. Give the kids the chance to choose their favourite toothbrush and paste, and the process will be entertaining.
4. Reward consistent Oral Hygiene Habits
Rewarding children reinforce the kind of behaviour you want. By rewarding your children after brushing their teeth, they will make oral hygiene a priority. You can create a chart where daily scores shall be recorded. A reward can then be offered to the kids at the end of the week if they meet the agreed daily scores.
5. Promote Healthy Eating
Do you know that a bidirectional relationship exists between good oral health and diet? The kind of diet consumed affects health issues in the mouth, and the mouth’s health conditions affect nutrients consumed. Therefore, promoting a healthy diet among kids is promoting good oral hygiene. But how do you promote healthy eating among children? Restricting kids from eating sugary foods and educating them on healthy foods can help instill healthy eating habits.
6. Books and Videos
Do your children love reading books and watching videos? If yes, then this is the best opportunity for them to learn about oral hygiene. Introduce them to books and videos talking about oral hygiene. If the videos and books have interesting images and actions, the kids will pay attention to oral cleaning. After reading and watching the videos, motivate the kids to practice the oral hygiene habits learned.
7. Visit Children’s Dentist in Edmonton
When dealing with medical issues, who will your kid believe most, you or the dentist? Children’s dentists are well trained in understanding and acknowledging the issues kids might have. They can make kids feel comfortable during a dental check-up.
Teach Kids Good Oral Hygiene Habits
Teaching your children oral hygiene habits is not a walk in the park. But by following the above tips, it will be easier to educate your child on maintaining oral hygiene. You can also visit the children’s dentist in Edmonton for good oral care. At Janz Family Dental, we know that good oral hygiene begins at home, and we enjoy gratifying our young patients for their efforts. Our highly trained dentists offer reliable general and cosmetic dentistry procedures to our West Edmonton families. Contact us today to book an appointment.
