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All parents want their children to be healthy, and there are many ways that you can help your kids get off to the best start in life. Ensuring that kids stay physically active and eat healthy foods are two main ways parents help protect children’s health, but taking care of their dental health is also crucial.
Taking care of your child’s oral health will ensure that their teeth are strong and in the best condition while also looking good. But knowing how to keep your kid’s teeth healthy is not always easy. Take a look at these tips to help you keep your family’s teeth clean and healthy:
Start With Basic Hygiene
Maintaining daily oral hygiene is the simplest and most effective way to care for your family’s dental health. But, as every parent knows, getting kids to brush their teeth and do it properly is not always easy. Making brushing their teeth fun can help to encourage younger children to be more enthusiastic and willing to clean their teeth. Letting them choose their toothbrush is also a great way to encourage kids to brush. Setting a timer is helpful to get kids to brush for the recommended two minutes and to give their teeth a thorough clean.
Schedule Regular Check-Ups
Booking regular dental check-ups is essential to protect your child’s teeth. Dentists that are family-friendly and experienced will ensure your child feels at ease. Getting kids used to visiting the dental office from a young age and ensuring that their visits are a positive experience will make them feel comfortable seeing the dentist and less likely to experience dental anxiety as they grow older.
Keep Teeth Protected
While keeping your family’s teeth clean may be the main way to protect their dental health, it is also essential to guard against accidents that could cause teeth to become chipped, broken, or even knocked out. So encouraging the kids to wear appropriate protection when playing sports is essential to protect their teeth. As kids get older and play more contact sports, it is even more crucial they wear a gum shield.
Make Healthy Choices
Making healthy food choices is essential to protecting teeth, and getting kids into the habit of making tooth-friendly choices is a great idea. Some foods are obviously bad for teeth. Sticky and hard candies are examples of this. Eating sugary foods indirectly damages the teeth and causes cavities. This is because harmful bacteria in the mouth feed off the sugar in candy, which erodes tooth enamel. Enamel erosion can then lead to cavities forming. While candy and other sugary foods are well-known to be bad for your teeth, it is also crucial to be aware of what you and your kids are drinking and the impact this could have on your oral health. Many popular drinks contain a surprisingly high amount of sugar, so taking care to read the labels on your drinks is essential so that high-sugar drinks can be avoided and your family’s teeth protected.
