There are a lot of things that you may be excited about teaching your kids as they grow up, like learning how to throw a baseball for the first time or how to read. Then there are the things you know you should teach your kids, but aren’t exactly stoked about trying to relay. Sadly, dental care often falls into the latter category. You know it’s important, you just may not know how to best go about it. Thankfully, if you find yourself there, struggling with how to teach your kids about proper oral hygiene, your preventive dentist can help!
When and What to Share with Your Kids for Winning Smiles
- First, kids need to understand why they care for their teeth, as well as the basics of how to do so. Giving them a basic knowledge of plaque and how it affects their teeth and gums can help them understand the importance of daily brushing.
- Reminding them that you have to brush your teeth everyday, as well, can let them know this is a lifelong habit they’re developing, as a means to maintain a beautiful and healthy smile.
- You should help children begin brushing as soon as their first tooth comes in, but about the time they’re learning to tie their own shoes, is a great time to help them learn to brush on their own, with supervision.
- The same is true of flossing, which can be a little trickier to master but equally important in the quest for a healthy smile.
Demonstrate proper technique, yourself, or ask your pediatric dentist to help show your kids how to floss at their next dental checkup. The dentist can also give some more in depth explanation of why plaque is a problem, and what they can do at home to keep their teeth and gums in great shape.
- Finally, explaining the way their diet affects their smile can also be helpful, especially as kids get old enough to choose their own snacks or pack their own lunches. Letting them know why sugar is dangerous for smiles, and helping them to make smart decisions that limit their sugar intake can be hugely beneficial to keeping their smiles healthy.
Just make sure you back that up by modeling healthy eating habits, yourself! You’ll all get to enjoy healthier smiles, not to mention limit the number of dental fillings required for treating cavities.