- Are you a new parent or expecting?
- Did your child’s first tooth come in?
- Concerned about your child’s oral health?
- Is your child getting more cavities than your wallet can pay for?
If you answered yes to any of these, keep reading to learn more about how to protect your child’s teeth as they grow older and independently care for their oral health.
Your child only has 2 sets of teeth their entire life. Make sure their primary teeth are healthy and they develop good dental hygiene habits so that when their permanent teeth erupt, they will be on the right track to healthy teeth for the rest of their lives. Read below for some of our tips on how to protect your child’s teeth.
1. Visit the Dentist Regularly
If you have a newborn, you should bring your child to the dentist by his or her first birthday so that we can start dental care early. Preventative care is actually the more cost-effective route compared to expensive bills to fix a problem left unchecked.
2. Establish Good Habits
Set a good example for your child. Brush your teeth with them or sing them a song until they are finished brushing their teeth. Make it a bonding experience. Some useful tips:
- Prior to your child’s teeth appearing, gently brush his or her gums with water on a baby toothbrush or a gentle washcloth
- When baby teeth first appear, use an infant toothbrush and brush twice a day with fluoridated toothpaste
- Once two teeth are touching, you may begin flossing
- Only water should be allowed after brushing and flossing before bedtime
- Ask Dr. Lund when your child should start using mouthwash
3. Less Juice, More Water
Juice can actually lead to tooth decay. If your child insists on juice, you may dilute it with half water, half juice. Only 4 oz per day is recommended of 100% fruit juice. Juice should be seen as a treat for them.
4. Encourage a Well Balanced Diet
Limit sweet and starchy foods. Try to prepare salads, fruits, and calcium-rich foods for them. A trick for when you treat your child with starchy or sugary foods is to serve it with a meal as opposed to separately. The extra saliva produced while eating a full meal will help wash teeth.
5. Praise For Doing A Good Job!
Motivate your child by keeping track of how many days they have been consistent with flossing. You can award stickers or gold stars on a chart in the bathroom or provide a mint as a reward. Bribing is not recommended, this is after they choose and complete the activity themselves.
Visit Our Office in Stoneham!
Thank you for visiting our blog. We hope we helped answer some of your questions. If you still have more, please feel free to give us a call at (781) 438.2700 and we would be happy to help set you up with an appointment to see one of our dentists. You may also conveniently
request an appointment online.
