How to Make Brushing Teeth the Highlight of Your Child's Day
11.15.2017
We thought this was a wonderful time of the year to blog about dental care. Why is that? We assume most children enjoyed Halloween candy and we are about to enter the Holiday season and all those yummy treats! Say no more.
We know that some parents really struggle with their children of all abilities in this area. Poor dental hygiene can have huge consequences. Dental illness has a huge impact on school attendance. An average of 51 million school hours are missed each year in the USA alone due to this. Childhood tooth decay is a real problem.
We are pleased to have a guest blogger sharing information on this topic. Lucy Wyndham is the Content Manager for a dental care website. She is sharing her excellent resource covering the extent of the problem and the 11 techniques they developed to help kids have healthier teeth.
Just when you manage challenging feedings and sleeping routines, along comes another hurdle, in the form of a cute little tooth emerging from your toddler’s gum. A warning that dental hygiene will fast become a major priority. Don’t think that you can ignore daily brushing until your child’s permanent teeth come through; milk teeth actually take up the space that permanent teeth will eventually grow into, so it is vital to establish routine from the outset.
These are just a few ways to turn what seems like a chore, into a fun moment of bonding for you and your kids:
- Do your research and pick the best toothbrush with input from your child: It has long been established that electric toothbrushes clean teeth more efficiently than manual ones. Moreover, a study published in the Journal of Indian Society of Periodontology showed that sonic toothbrushes are superior to ionic ones. There are fabulous sonic toothbrushes for kids on the market, some of which come with a handy app - such as the Philips Sonicare, in which a cute little ‘monster’ teaches kids how to brush their teeth, targeting teeth from various angles and encouraging kids to spend a set amount of time on each tooth.
- Read books about visiting the dentist with your child: Some of the best known books on the subject include Dentist Trip (Peppa Pig), Maisy, Charley and the Wobbly Tooth, and Brush your teeth, Max and Millie. These are aimed at encouraging your toddler to develop an interest in independent brushing.
- Visit the dentist: The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) recommends that children visit the dentist by the age of one, or within six months after their first tooth appears. If you take your child to the dentist this early, you will avoid the jitters that older children can go through. Appease older toddlers by role playing before the visit, and by reading kids’ books or watching cartoons about dental visits. It is important for them to know what to expect.
- Make it a family activity: Brushing is an ideal moment for parents and children to bond. Brush your own teeth while they do; you may learn a thing or two from their informative kids’ apps. Feel free to make the experience more entertaining by using a personal music selection, rewarding your kids for daily brushing, or making brushing a precursor to another activity your child loves.
The consequences of not taking brushing seriously from the earliest of ages are serious, but hopefully, by following the tips provided, your children will view brushing as the best part of their day.
Please be sure to take the time to check out the full the article here: http://www.randrdental.com/blog/11-ways-get-kids-take-care-teeth/
Related Topics: Self-Help/Life Skills, Tools to Grow at Home
