Most parents know the struggle of not just caring for your children’s oral health, but also trying to ingrain those good dental habits from an early age. From skipping out on brushing after a meal to throwing a tantrum when it’s time to visit the dentist, parents know that it can be a difficult challenge sometimes to get your kids to follow along. Of course every child is different, but in general here are the top five dental tips for parents.
5. Floss Early
One mistake that many parents seem to make is ignoring flossing until your child’s permanent teeth comes in. While it may seem to make sense on the outside, the truth is that you should actually start flossing as soon as two baby teeth begin to touch each other. Even if your child’s baby teeth are destined to fall out anyway, not flossing is a major cause behind gum disease so it’s worth starting early.
4. Go to the Dentist from an Early Age
Besides the fact that it’s always a great idea to get everything checked out at the dentist, taking your child early on to the dentist can have multiple positive effects. For one, your child will already become familiar with the dentist’s office from an early age which will help make sure they’re never scared of going to a dentist appointment in the future. You can begin taking your baby to the dentist as soon as their baby teeth start coming in, and the dentist will also help make sure everything is coming along fine with your child’s oral health.
3. Use Fluoride Toothpaste
Many parents make an effort to not buy toothpaste that contains any fluoride for their child. While this was a very common practice for a while, the American Dental Association actually changed it’s recommendations so that now it’s actually preferred that you use fluoride toothpaste early on. Until your child reaches the age of three, you should be using only a rice grain sized amount as a precaution.
2. Use Infant Tooth/Gum Wipes Daily
Many parents may be surprised to know this is a thing, and it not only does exist, but it’s a very important step towards safeguarding your child’s future oral health. While it may seem overbearing or overprotective to wipe your babies gums when no one else around you does, by wiping daily you can actually prevent bacteria around the tongue and rest of the mouth from causing harm to your baby’s gums.
1. Teach the proper technique
At the number one spot we have the biggest mistake parents seem to make. Many times when it comes to brushing parents will let the child get a feel for it or teach them but then allow the child to slump back into picking up bad brushing habits. Ideally, you should make sure your child is using light to medium pressure and brushing gently in small circles as brushing with too much pressure and/or vigorously back and forth can cause damage to the teeth and gums. On top of that, make sure your child picks up the good habit of brushing after every meal early on so you never have to nag them to go brush.
