Habits impact our lives even more than we realize. Good habits stay with us for a lifetime and that’s why incorporating those into your daily lives is important. When it comes to children, good oral hygiene is probably the most important.
Good oral hygiene practices are important, not only because our teeth make their smiles pretty but because it keeps oral health problems away. Thus from the very beginning parents start teaching their kids and training them on how to keep their teeth healthy.
How to improve oral health in children?
Here are a few ways that can help to improve dental health in children.
1- Understand the importance of fluoride
Fluoride is an essential mineral nutrient that is important for your children’s dental health. The mineral is an important component of teeth’s structure. Fluoride can improve your dental health in the following ways;
- Fluoride can prevent teeth decay making them more resistant to the acid attacks resulting from the action of teeth bacteria and sugars.
- Fluoride enamel makes it difficult for the acids to demineralize teeth.
- The presence of fluoride speeds up the process of remineralization of teeth and hardens the tooth enamel.
You can ensure that your child consumes a significant amount of fluoride to ensure healthy teeth.
2- Brushing
Dental hygiene practices should begin at an early age, as revealed by a renowned dentist from Ali Dental Clinic. In order for better teeth health in children, do these things;
- Develop the habit of brushing in children when they are 1 or 2 years of age and make them brush twice a day.
- Choose the right sized soft toothbrush for children.
- Get them fluoride-free toothpaste and train them to brush their teeth.
- Change their toothbrush every 3 months so the toothbrush doesn’t cause gum and teeth damage.
3- Flossing
Flossing your once a day is an important part of a good oral care routine. Get them the floss coming with a handle and make them floss once a day.
4- Diet
The food children eat has a substantial impact on their oral health. Therefore, monitoring the dietary habits of children can help to prevent tooth damage. Here are things to consider when it comes to the association between diet and oral health.
- Daily consumption of sugary foods and drinks.
- Monitoring their teeth cleaning habits after every meal.
- The inclusion of edibles in their diet can strengthen their jaws and regulate saliva production in the mouth.
5- Cavities
The holes formed in your teeth due to bacterial accumulation on teeth are known as cavities. Your children may be at risk of cavities due to the consumption of sugary drinks as well as their teeth can be difficult to brush. You need to protect your children’s from cavities and understand their risk of developing cavities. Consider their risk of cavities by monitoring their sugar consumption along with spotting on teeth.
6- Ensure teeth safety
Other than eating and brushing habits, mouth injuries can cause irreversible damage to your children teeth, told a renowned dentist from children’s oral health. If your child does some sports make sure he wears a teeth guard. Other than that, watch for the habits such as nail-biting and grinding in your child, as these are also some of the common teeth damaging habits.
7- Make oral health fun
No matter how many different ways you have, the children’s participation plays a key role. You can make dental hygiene fun by;
- Letting children choose their own toothbrushes when they will have the brush of their own choice they will automatically brush.
- Associate good oral practices among children with rewards.
- Make oral hygiene fun, if there is more than one child at home compare them on purpose to create an environment of competition.
- Keep a timer so that children can brush their teeth for 2 minutes.
- Ensure regular visits to the dentist and let them track their own progress.
Bottom Line!
Children’s oral health is as crucial as their overall health. Make sure you incorporate good oral hygiene practices in their lives from the beginning. Do all the things you can, but make sure to never skip the dentist’s visit.
