We adults very well know that brushing your teeth at least twice a day is essential for good oral hygiene. But for parents, the biggest problem is to get their kids to follow the same example, which isn’t always as easy as it sounds. Paying good attention to children dental hygiene is very important, because what they learn as kid will follow them throughout their adult lives. Luckily, we have a few tips that you might find useful.
Good oral hygiene should be part of your everyday routine. A healthy smile cannot only impact your self-esteem but it can also have a major influence on your overall health. So taking good care of your teeth means that you’re taking good care of your overall health.
Now when it comes to teaching children dental hygiene, the most important thing you can do is to start early in order to create good habits that they will carry on. The sooner you start the better. And even if the current oral hygiene practices aren’t good, there are ways you can improve them.
Promote children dental hygiene by brushing together
The first and foremost thing you need to teach your kids is how to properly brush and floss their teeth. The best way to do this is through demonstration. Children are very good at mimicking other people’s behavior, so join them during the daily brushing and guide them.
Flossing, might not be as easy as brushing, but using useful tools like floss pick will help them form the habit of including flossing into their dental hygiene.
Patience is key
Kids often try to cut short certain things because they have something better (more fun) planned. The same can happen with their brushing/flossing. If they are too eager to finish and resume playing, they might skimp and try to rush through things.
Proper children dental hygiene, the same as adult dental hygiene, requires brushing for at least two full minutes. A good way to make sure they follow this rule is to set up a timer on the bathroom counter that they can easily set and start on their own. This will give them a sense of control over their routine and they’ll be more diligent about it.
Children dental hygiene can include singing
Another method you could try if you’re having trouble with sticking to the two-minute schedule is by singing a song. There are lots of songs for children. So pick one together, that is at least two minutes long and make this daily routine fun.
Let them pick their toothbrush
The look of their toothbrush, could be highly motivating for children. When you start introducing them to good child dental hygiene, and you’re planning on getting them their first toothbrush, make sure that you take them with you. Let them pick the toothbrush they like. This could make the entire tooth brushing process more exciting as they will be eager to use the brush the picked.
Visits to the dentist
Children should also schedule regular visits to the dentist, just as adults should. This experience can be intimidating at first, but once the dental visits are regular, they will get used to it and shed their fear of the dentist.
Just like with adults, dental visits should be at least twice a year, every six months. This should help them realize that it’s not so scary or such a big deal and form a habit of going to the dentist when they are older.
Teaching children dental hygiene can be a challenge, but it’s an absolute necessity in order to ensure their good oral health. Make sure that you search for fun and inclusive ways to form these healthy habits and encourage your kids to stick to them.
