One of the greatest Greek philosophers, Aristotle, wisely told his students, “We are what we repeatedly do. Success is not an action but a habit”. It’s true for everything, including oral success. Our mouth is as healthy as we choose, based on our hygiene habits. The strongest dental health habits are forged by consistency and persistence over a long time. When trying to establish good oral care habits for children, it is important to start early, so they will more likely retain these habits as they grow.
What should you teach your child?
— Toothbrushing – This is a top priority for dental health. You should teach them to brush their teeth for two minutes every morning and night.
Some parents have a difficult time doing this without tears and screams. To help your child brush their teeth with no complaints, we recommend making toothbrushing time a fun and positive experience. You can do this by excitedly choosing a fun toothbrush at the store and getting pumped for it before- hand. You can also laugh and have a good time with them by turning it into a game. Give them two minutes of music and they have to do every tooth in that time. Or, after every tooth brushed, you can cheer and yell, “Hooray!”
— Flossing – They should be flossing every night. If your child has a hard time using ordinary string floss, you can use a water flosser or floss picks. Water flossers use pressurized streams of water to clean in between the teeth and wash off the gumline. Floss picks are plastic tools with tiny pieces of floss tightly attached between two appendages.
— Dental Hygiene Awareness – It is important for them to understand what can happen to their mouth if they don’t clean it well. You can talk to them about holes in their teeth called cavities, puffy gums from not flossing, and how yellow build up on their teeth is bad.
— Come Into Westlake Pediatric Dentistry Twice a Year – It’s never too early to start bringing your child into our office. We want to help keep their teeth and gums strong so their smile stays bright and happy. We’ll take care of them well and will help them to understand the importance of tooth care. To set an appointment for your child, call our office in Austin, Texas, at 512-732-0022.
There you have it! If you start teaching them now, your child can retain a positive and splendid smile for their entire lives.
