It’s February, which means your children’s dentist in Harris County is celebrating the importance of oral care for your child. Protecting your child’s teeth during these early developmental stages is crucial to ensuring they have a healthy smile as a teen and adult. If baby teeth fall out too early for example, then remaining teeth can start to fill into the empty spaces, causing alignment issues later in life.
Luckily, by following these at-home care tips and encouraging your child to practice proper oral health, they’ll be smiling by the time they have kids of their own.
Make Oral Health Care Fun for Your Child
It can be difficult at first to get your child into brushing, but it’s incredibly important to get them started early. But there are ways to make it easier when they’re just starting out. For example, when shopping for their first toothbrush, give them a chance to review some brushes they might like. As they get older, let them pic out a brush on their own. Child toothbrushes come equipped with their own cartoon characters and colors that are more appealing to children.
Additionally, try to brush alongside your child to show them how much it means to you that they have good oral health. When they first start, guide their brush along their mouth, telling them all the areas they need to focus on to keep a healthy mouth. To ensure their brushing for long enough, sing a song with them that’s exactly two minutes long, the average time the ADA recommends for brushing.
How to Practice Proper At-Home Care
Children should start brushing as soon as their first teeth start erupting. Even though their baby tooth will fall out, they need to act as spacers as their permanent teeth continue growing underneath their gums. To protect their teeth, follow these basic tips:
- Make sure the brush their using fits their hand and mouth.
- Brush their teeth twice a day with a tiny amount of fluoridated toothpaste. Use a smear no larger than a grain of rice.
- Brush the inside and outside of each of your baby’s teeth as gently as possible. Make sure to brush their tongue as well to remove excess bacteria. Don’t worry about rinsing since you’re using a small amount of toothpaste.
- Upgrade to a pea-sized amount of toothpaste once they hit 4 years of age and start rinsing their mouth afterwards.
When to See Your Children’s Dentist in Harris County
The ADA recommends you take your child to their first dental visit within six months of their first baby tooth erupting. As soon as teeth appear, tooth decay can appear, so it’s imperative that you make it to your dentist in Harris County for their examination.
The exam should be very brief, and your child will get to sit in your lap as your dentist conducts the exam. Afterwards, they’ll discuss proper at-home care as well as treatments that can benefit your child later, such as dental sealants and fluoride treatments.
Let Children’s Dentistry Health Month give you the incentive to protect your child’s oral development. Schedule their first visit with your children’s dentist in Harris County today!
About the Author
Dr. Alan Arrington earned his dental degree from the Medical College of Georgia. As a father of four, he understands the importance of managing children’s oral health. To learn more about dental sealants, fluoride treatments, and wisdom teeth consultations, contact him at (706) 628-0011 or visit his website for more practice info.
