Oral hygiene is as important to kids as it is to adults. An adult who takes great care of their oral hygiene must have started early, as it is a habit that one has to cultivate from childhood. It is the role of adults to ensure that kids develop positive habits when it comes to taking care of their oral hygiene.
You must nurture this habit from a young age, as early as when they start sprouting their milk teeth. This helps the child to have a healthy routine that will mean fewer dental visits, except when they have to do the usual annual routine check-ups. Otherwise you will soon end have an appointment with the dentist in Brooklyn NY.
First, Share the Importance of Oral Hygiene
Describe the importance of oral hygiene to your child, especially if they are old enough to understand. Most children from the age of 4 can easily understand this. Children do not do anything for the sake of it; hence they need intentional guidance from adults.
Teach your kid the importance of brushing their teeth, flossing, and even going for the annual dental check-ups. They need to know that one needs to have proper oral hygiene for the sake of their general health. It does not start and stop in the mouth, as some infections are known to originate from the mouth then spread to other parts of the body.
Take Them through a Simple Process
If they know the importance of oral hygiene, they will need to learn how to put it into practice. Teach your kid simple steps to an ultimate healthy mouth. You might need to do this with them for a certain period before they get comfortable enough to do it alone. They can start by:
- Learning how to brush on their own using a soft bristle brush. Teach them the direction to brush and not to forget cleaning their tongues. Sometimes children will clean teeth and leave the tongue, which needs a lot of attention.
- Let them use a tiny amount of fluoride toothpaste when brushing for clean teeth.
- Teach them to spit out when brushing. Swallowing is not healthy and might cause stomach problems, especially if a lot of toothpaste is used.
Create an Oral Hygiene Routine
Once you have taken your kids through a simple process, you have to create a routine for them. Children thrive on routines. They can follow simple instructions, but will only develop positive habits if they are put on a fixed routine.
For example, set a specific timing for teeth brushing and flossing. It should be at least twice a day, mostly morning and evening. You can choose to have them brush their teeth first when they wake up and just before they go to bed. You can also ask them to floss at least once a day. This will turn into a habit, and with time they will not need any reminders to take care of their oral health.
Promote a Healthy diet
Put your child on a healthy diet and tell them the importance of the food they eat to their oral hygiene. Train them to eat more vegetables and fruits, avoiding sugar and citrus drinks. They need to understand the relationship between food and oral hygiene. Once this is made clear, they will be more receptive to healthy meals than unhealthy ones.
Do Routine Dental Check-Ups
The surest way to know if your oral hygiene is bearing fruit is when you get a clean bill of health from a routine dental check-up. This is a habit you have to cultivate in your kids to know the importance of check-ups. They need to know that they don’t have to wait for a toothache to see a dentist in Brooklyn NY.
Teach them that some infections do not show any symptoms, and it is good to do get checked to pick any in their early stages. Some infections are easily treated, but if left unattended, then they can turn into something serious. A routine check-up will help one avoid this.
In Closing
As an adult, it is your responsibility to nurture some positive habits in your child. If they are going to grow up taking care of their oral hygiene, then they need to learn this from a young age. If you leave it up to them, they might as well never brush their teeth, as they won’t find it fun. When they are aware of the benefits, they will embrace the healthy journey. Make sure they know the role a dentist in Brooklyn NY plays in their life.
