Everyone undoubtedly desires white teeth and a radiant smile. As a result, everyone does everything, including, proper brushing and flossing, to keep their teeth healthy. However, parents are responsible for maintaining excellent dental health for their children.

Children’s teeth help them smile, talk, eat well, and hold the space for permanent teeth to grow. Many adolescents have cavities in one or more of their permanent teeth due to poor teeth care when they were younger, and untreated cavities give room to infections and pain. Also, they can have crooked permanent dentitions if their primary teeth fall out of place too early due to a lack of proper care.

A dentist in Buckhead, can set you up for success. Still, this article will show you some tips to lay an excellent foundation for the dental health of your children to keep their teeth white, healthy, strong, and cavity-free. Explore!

Brush Their Teeth Twice Daily

The most basic and significant way of maintaining excellent oral health is washing the mouth and teeth. And making brushing fun for your children can encourage them to favor it. Allow your child to choose their favorite toothbrush color and cartoon character design. Also, you can play their best songs or set a two-minute timer to make brushing more fun and engaging. 

Understand that you must clean every child’s mouth regularly, even if they don’t have teeth. Clean your baby’s mouth gently by wiping the gums using a wet washcloth. Continue with this habit until your child has grown enough teeth. 

As you begin to notice the first teeth erupt, brush them using a soft toothbrush and a grain-sized quantity of fluoride-free toothpaste for two minutes and twice daily. Never fail to clean the gums around immature teeth.

As your child grows older (3 years or more), use pea-size amounts of fluoride toothpaste to brush their teeth and teach them to spit it out. Repeat brushing twice a day until your child can do it without supervision. Teach them the ideal brushing techniques and ensure they do it right. Nevertheless, supervise your child when brushing their teeth once in a while. 

As your child attains age 10 or more, ensure they brush their teeth twice a day for two minutes and floss once daily. 

Flossing

Plaques can build up in your child’s mouth without proper daily cleaning. Understand that there are many places, such as under the gum and between the teeth, that a toothbrush can’t reach, flossing can be your ideal solution.

Flossing helps to remove food particles, plaques, and bacteria in places a toothbrush can’t access. Prioritize flossing for your child daily, especially at night before brushing to remove anything that might cause tooth decay or cavities. 

Give Them Healthy Food

Bacteria found in the mouth thrive and procreate on sugars and carbohydrates. Therefore, food rich in carbohydrates and sugars promotes bacterial growth in the mouth. Bacteria produce acids that deteriorate the tooth enamel, which protects the teeth from harmful bacterial infection.

As soon as the bacteria can penetrate the tooth enamel and access the inner tooth, it causes cavities and decay. Do you now see why a meal rich in sugar and starches can make children’s teeth decay?

Reduce sugary treats, carbohydrate-rich foods, and sticky foods for your children. Furthermore, limit your child’s intake of beverages like soda and energy drinks that have high sugar content and are acidic, which can doubly eat away at the tooth enamel. Also, ensure your children rinse their mouths well with enough water whenever they take meals rich in sugar and carbohydrates.

Moreover, indulge your child with healthy foods and juices from natural fruits. Encourage the little ones to eat lean proteins, complex carbohydrates, healthy fats, colorful vegetables and fruits, enough water, and adequate calcium for strong teeth. 

Additionally, know that fresh vegetables and fruits, such as carrots, tomatoes, and apples, contain substances that remove plaque as kids eat them. Most importantly, make water the primary source of your child’s drinking and hydration. 

Maximize Fluoride

One naturally occurring mineral that aids in preserving the structure of teeth is fluoride. It strengthens your child’s teeth’s defenses against the acids that bacteria in the mouth produce, preventing decay and cavities. Your child can benefit in the long term from the incorporation of fluoride into the permanent teeth. Although excess fluoride can cause brown or white speckles on your child’s teeth (fluorosis), too little can open them to tooth decay. 

To help your child get sufficient fluoride, let them brush their teeth with fluoride toothpaste, use fluoride treatments with a dentist’s authority, or drink tap water. On the other hand, you can talk to your dentists about fluoride supplements if you are not fine with your child taking tap water. 

Schedule Routine Checkups with a Dentist

Schedule routine visits with a pediatric dentist for your child as they clock 1 year or as suggested by a medical practitioner. A pediatric dentist has training in children’s oral health requirements and practical techniques to help a child feel at ease and relaxed. Since they are trained specifically for kids, they have many fun ways to make regular checkups fun and effective for children.

With a routine visit to a dentist, you can ensure your kid’s dental growth is optimal, evaluate their oral habits, verify if their gums and teeth are healthy, and check for holes, decay, and other dental concerns your kid may have. Therefore, you can catch any dental issues your kid may have early and begin necessary treatments. 

Furthermore, you can get a professional dental cleaning for your child and learn more about how to help your child maintain excellent dental health. 

Improving Your Children’s Oral Health

Maintaining good oral health for your child is as important as anything else. Prioritizing preventive oral care and teaching your child healthy oral habits early can help them enjoy healthy teeth and beautiful smiles throughout their lives. Help your child learn consistency and establish a daily routine, including brushing, healthy eating habits, and flossing. 

Remember, oral health is significant to general wellness, and prioritizing your kid’s dental well-being sets the foundation for a fulfilling and healthy future. Never wait till there is a significant concern.

Written by:

Art Of Cosmetic Dentistry
3333 Piedmont Rd NE #130, Atlanta, GA 30305
+14048168200