In recognition of Child Health Day, educating children on oral hygiene is important. Along with various regular hygiene practices, oral hygiene is important for kids to learn at a young age. In fact, good oral health during adolescence contributes to good oral health as an adult.
Begin good oral hygiene with your kid’s first tooth
Good oral health care should start once kids have their first tooth. A kid’s first tooth will normally appear within six to nine months. As early as your child having only one tooth, start daily brushing.
As soon as your child has two teeth nearby, start flossing.
For babies that still bottle-feed by the time they develop teeth, watch for “bottle rot.” This is a condition whereby your kid’s teeth become pitted, pocked, or discolored because milk or formula saturates their teeth for extended periods of time. Teeth enamel gets covered by milk sugars and particles from other foods. These sugars and foods rot the child’s teeth. So much so that bottle rot is often one of the first reasons why parents bring their child to a pediatric dentist.
Ways to teach children about oral health
Children usually copy their parents. By you following a daily teeth brushing schedule you’ll likely influence your children to do so, too. Make sure to use fluoridated tooth paste. Flouride will help minimize cavities and strengthen teeth. Along with regular brushing and flossing in the home, regular dental checkups and teeth cleanings will help minimize cavities and proactively address developing oral health issues.