Dental health is vital for general health and appearance in childhood and all through life. Fighting against oral problems doesn’t have to be boring; actually, it can be fun. This is an important lesson that all children should learn at an early age to help them get the most out of their oral health routine.
Children need to be told by the adults in their lives that caring for your teeth and gums is just as important as washing your hands. Also, nothing works better than setting a good example by practicing good oral care yourself.
Why is this so important for your kids? Because the added bonus of good oral health is a beautiful smile. The real benefit of good oral care is preventing cavities that can be both painful and cause early tooth loss. Proper care also prevents gum disease that can cause eventual tooth loss, bad breath, and can even be the beginning of other serious health problems.
Make brushing your child’s teeth fun!
Think of creative ways to make brushing your teeth fun. For example, listening to fun sounds or songs while brushing can help make the entire experience a pleasant, and even fun one. Try listening to a song that is two minutes long to help keep yourself and your kids brushing for the full duration of time recommended. Also, having a cool toothbrush designed for kids that features their favourite characters helps brings out the fun in brushing and allows children to bring their favourite cartoon and television friends into the bathroom with them.
- Develop a Reward System - Children should brush their teeth twice a day and floss daily, so try keeping track of your child's brushing on a calendar by the sink with gold stars. If there are two stars at the end of the week, play their favourite game on Friday night as a special prize.
- Make Brushing Time Family Time - At night, get together in the bathroom to brush our teeth for the recommended two minutes. Play your favourite song (which is usually around two minutes) and brush together for the duration of the song.
- Get Kids in the Right Frame of Mind for the Dentist - Dentists recommend dental check-ups every six months, which can be scary for many children. So prepare them beforehand. Give them an idea of what to expect; try using picture books or do some role-playing exercises to explain to kids what to expect during a dental visit. After the visit, reward them for good behaviour with their favourite television show or a fun activity.
- Bring Variety to Brushing - Let your children choose different kinds of fluoride toothpaste, toothbrushes and floss to keep in the bathroom so that they can have options each time they brush.