How To Get My Kids On A Good Dental Routine?
The health of permanent teeth in kids and teenagers depends on how well or poorly they brush their teeth during their early years. Inadequate teeth brushing can result in the development of cavities in primary teeth, which can increase the risk of having cavities in permanent teeth.
Too often, young kids refuse to brush their teeth, a practice that puts them at risk of having tooth decay and other dental problems. If your child is resisting brushing their teeth, you need to handle the situation carefully by identifying the reasons for resistance and removing the roadblocks to having a healthy dental routine.
Why Kids Hate Brushing Their Teeth
There are many reasons why kids don’t like to brush their teeth. As a parent, you need to investigate the problem, so you know how to get them back on track to proper dental care. A child could have sensitive gums that feel irritated when he or she brushes their teeth.
Another possibility for refusing to brush their teeth is that the child may be seeking independence and self-care. When you try forcing him or her to brush their teeth, you could end up having a power struggle. Kids also find it mundane to brush their teeth, so you need to excite them with motivation in some cases.
The Consequences of Neglecting Children’s Dental Health
In the United States, the most common dental disease is tooth decay. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that tooth decay affects more than 40% of children by the time they’re in kindergarten.
When you neglect the dental health of your kid, they will be susceptible to developing cavities and tooth decay. Having decay causes pain and difficulties concentrating. It also makes chewing food a difficulty and could cause the child delays in the development of their vocabulary and communication skills. Decay of teeth creates emotional problems and a kid is robbed away from his or her smile.
The Dental Practices For Healthy Children’s Teeth
Parents need to brush their kids’ teeth as soon as they appear. By the time your child is two, they should brush their teeth two times a day using toothpaste the size of a pea or smaller. Small kids are likely to swallow larger amounts of toothpaste, which can result in dental fluorosis.
Parents need to supervise their children when applying toothpaste to prevent having too much on the toothbrush. When new permanent teeth begin to form, the parent should switch the children’s toothpaste from low fluoride to higher fluoride toothpaste to ensure proper protection for new permanent teeth.
The supervision of children brushing their teeth should be done until they’re 12 years old. That’s the time when the motor and mental functions of the child can allow them to properly brush their own teeth. In the first two years, the parent should brush their children’s teeth, from the third year onwards, the parent should use playful motivation to encourage their kids to brush teeth on their own.
During that time, a parent should re-brush the areas that are hard to clean. When the child is 6 years, he or she should be able to brush their teeth using the right brushing technique, however, the parent should continue supervising their child.
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Preventative Treatment That Keeps Your Child Healthy
How To Get Children Started On A Good Dental Routine
To assist your child on establishing a healthy dental routine, a parent should do the following:
- Apply the concept of teamwork, especially after the first two years when your child can start brushing on their own. Allowing the feeling of self-sufficiency gives them the impression that they are handling it on their own. It also helps prevent power struggles over brushing teeth and other self-care aspects.
- Take extra time to help train your child about oral hygiene. You can help your kid to teach a stuffed animal or a doll how to brush its teeth since such demonstration instill tooth-brushing techniques to the child.
- Children watch what parents do but they may not listen to what parents say. You can teach a child about good dental habits by allowing them to watch you when you brush and floss your teeth.
- Demonstrate the benefits of brushing your teeth by letting your child watch you as you admire your pearly white teeth in the mirror. Remember to comment on how great you feel to have clean white teeth.
- Make it fun to brush your teeth together with your child. You can both compare your foamy smiles when brushing by watching yourselves in the mirror. The idea is to make the task of brushing teeth a fun activity.
What the AAP and the ADA Say.
The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Dental Association say that children should visit a dentist as soon as they have the first tooth present or by the age of 1. It has been shown that when kids start receiving regular dental checkups early, they will have healthier teeth.
Parents should ensure they take their kids to the dentist every six months; frequent visits ensure that the children’s developing teeth remain healthy. The dentist is able to detect any early signs of tooth decay or dental disease.
Dr. Suffoletta and his team provide the latest dental technology that’s pain free and quick. Your kids have nothing to fear with procedures that are gentle and safe. Contact Dr. Suffoletta’s office which serves the Las Vegas and Summerlin surrounding area. You won’t regret making our practice your family dental care provider. Call today for an appointment at 702-671-0001.
