5 Ways to Protect Your Kid’s Smile

A child’s smile: is there anything in the world more beautiful? Getting a smile from a child you love is one of the best feelings in the world, and as pediatric dentists, we’ve committed our lives to care for children’s smiles. Our standards are high; we treat each child like one of our own family members, with respect, attentiveness, and the highest level of skill. We want you and your children to have a positive experience every time you interact with our practice. We also want to empower you to care for your children’s smiles every day at home. Here are 5 tips to keep your kid’s smile healthy!

Get quality toothbrushes.

Many of the new electric toothbrushes remove plaque more effectively, providing better routine cleaning for your kid’s mouth. If your child is too young for an electric toothbrush or you’re not ready to invest in electric brushes yet, no worries. Buy an appropriately-sized, soft-bristled brush, and remind your kid about the basics of thorough brushing.

Encourage drinking lots of water.

Drinking water is one of the best health habits–for both your oral and overall health. Tap water is fluoridated which helps strengthen teeth and prevent cavities. To help your kids develop the habit of drinking water, make sure that they each have their own water bottle (preferably one they like/love) and set a good example for them by consistently drinking from your own water bottle. Kids learn to imitate what they see adults around them doing.

Floss.

There’s no substitute for flossing! Flossing provides care and cleaning for parts of the teeth and gums that nothing else can reach. If your kids are very young, you might need to help them floss. Kids old enough to floss for themselves should floss daily, just like adults. If it’s helpful, provide flossing incentives or reminders such as a sticker chart.

Create a routine.

Most kids thrive on a consistent schedule. Creating a normal routine for brushing twice a day and flossing at least once is key. Whether you have them brush right after every meal or first thing in the morning and right before bed is up to you, but making it consistent will help ingrain life-long healthy habits into their lives.

Schedule consistent checkups.

Most dental issues are painless at first. Small cavities and early gum problems don’t advertise their presence, but your dentists can catch and treat decay in the early stages and prevent larger, painful, and more expensive problems from developing.

We hope these tips are helpful to you! Here’s an infographic from ADA with some “bonus” tips! If you have questions about this post or any other children’s dental healthcare questions, we’d love to hear from you and help you find answers.