5 Oral Hygiene Habits Every Kid Must Follow

Habits built during one’s formative years are likely to last for the rest of their life. This makes it even more important to instil good oral hygiene habits in your children. Your child’s dental health will affect every other aspect of their life – their mental health, physical health, self-esteem and even the first impressions they make on prospective friends and other important people. According to a Children Dentist in Carlsbad, there are certain oral hygiene habits that are extremely important for everyone’s dental health but become even more important for children as they are still developing.

While instilling new habits in children can be a difficult task, it will definitely pay off in the longer run. Your children will thank you for saving them from the pain of cavities and gum weakness that are a result of poor oral hygiene. A Pediatric Dentist Carlsbad CA suggests that parents can imbibe habits by setting examples.

When parents brush their teeth twice a day and floss well, children are likely to pick those habits up as most children are observational learners. It is also recommended for parents to become a part of children’s routines and include fun ways of carrying out these activities to make it easier for children.

5 Oral Hygiene Habits for Kids

So here are five oral hygiene habits that you should help your children in following:

Balanced Diet

It is a given that there is no substitute for a balanced diet. A diet consisting of veggies and fruits and low on sugary and acidic food is optimum. Such a diet is great for your child’s overall health. Junk food tends to stay on the surface of the teeth and results in the production of enamel damaging bacteria. This can cause dental caries and can be extremely painful for children.

Brushing Twice a Day

The importance of brushing your teeth twice a day cannot be emphasized enough. Using the right toothbrush and a fluoride-based toothpaste and brushing for two entire minutes is the best way of maintaining good oral hygiene. Make sure that your kids brush their teeth right after they wake up and right before they go to sleep. In the opinion of a Pediatric Dentist oceanside, CA brushing before sleeping helps fight off the bacteria that would otherwise work on breaking down the enamel overnight and have damaging effects on the teeth.

Flossing

This is another great habit to instil in children early on. Of course, younger kids would need the help of their parents but over the years they will learn to do it themselves. Flossing helps in removing plaque from the space between the teeth where brush bristles can’t reach. Flossing before sleeping is recommended for the very same reasons brushing before bed is suggested. A clean bedtime mouth is a bacteria-free mouth.

Importance of Fluoride

Fluoride is a naturally occurring substance that helps strengthen tooth enamel and prevent dental caries. Using fluoride-based mouthwash and/or toothpaste is recommended. However, make sure to ask your dentist for the right amount and the right products as you don’t want to overuse fluoride.

Biannual Visits to the Dentist

Regular visits to the dentist and getting proper checkups are important. A regular check-up will also help the dentist in making the right suggestions that can help in preventing future dental woes.

Also Read: Signs Your Child May Need a Tooth Extraction

Conclusion

Imbibing these important oral hygiene habits will go a long way in maintaining your child’s oral hygiene. Other than regular check-ups, if you feel that your child requires the assistance of dental treatments to maintain good oral hygiene then feel free to approach the best orthodontist in Carlsbad and let your child enjoy a happy life!