Cavities and tooth decay are no joke. From bleeding gums to stinky breath, encouraging good dental habits from the start are fundamental to your child’s oral hygiene journey.
Our mouths are crucial to speech development, and how we enjoy our food. If our children are left to figure it all out on their own, teething problems are going to be the least of their problems further down the road.
So what can you do to future proof your children’s dental health? Let’s take a look together:
Tooth decay is preventable from day one
It may surprise you that your child’s milk teeth are fundamental building blocks for their adult teeth. Think of them as place holders, which helps develop speech and form the structure of your child’s face.
Brushing your child’s teeth is possible from day one. The moment breast milk of formula enters your little one’s mouth, the potential for tooth decay begins. You see, milk is not only full of essential nutrients, it is full of naturally occurring sugars. When sugar swirls around your baby’s gums, harmful bacteria can start to grow.
Keeping your baby’s gums free of bacteria is pretty simple. Using a soft, damp cloth or a specially formulated dental wipe will gently remove unwanted bacteria. So each time your babe feeds or if you are preparing for a routine – morning and bedtime – wipe your baby’s gums to promote good oral hygiene.
When that first tooth cuts through, you can introduce a soft bristled rounded toothbrush to get your little one used to a toothbrush.
Habit forming routines
Dentists worldwide recommend that everyone brush their teeth for at least two times a day for two minutes. Anything less than this will leave plaque and tartar to build up on your teeth, leading to potential gingivitis or tooth decay.
Introducing habit forming routines early on will set your child up for life. Like most of your little one’s development and understanding, it all starts at home.
Here’s some things you can do to get started:
- Don’t neglect morning and bedtime brushing – two minutes, twice a day is just 4 minutes out of the 1,440 minutes in a day. So get brushing!
- Make it fun – from playing your child’s favourite song to having a boogie in the bathroom makes toothbrushing an event to look forward to
- Bathtime introductions – bathtime is one of those magical moments in a child’s day that is great for introducing a toothbrush. It’s likely to already be part of your babe’s routine, so adding a toothbrush into the mix is not going to hurt! It also won’t come as a surprise, if they are expecting brushing to be on the agenda!
- Reward inspiration – children love stickers, so use that to your advantage! Make a reward chart to record their progress throughout the day or week
Habits are formed out of persistence. So, stick with it! Your children will thank you for it later! Maybe.
Confidence boost
There’s nothing like a healthy smile to give your child’s self confidence and self esteem a boost. When your little one is in pain or feeling insecure about their appearance, it can have damaging consequences beyond their oral hygiene.
Not only is brushing your teeth well a key life skill, it will give your child the best shot at becoming a confident adult as a result.
A varied diet
Getting a well balanced diet is vital for keeping your little one strong and healthy. If they are missing teeth, it can affect their ability to chew certain foods and therefore restrict their diet as a result.
Missing out on key nutrients due to poor oral hygiene will have a detrimental impact on your child’s growth and development. Key nutrients like vitamin C and iron are not naturally occurring in our bodies. Found in fresh fruit and veg, essential vitamins allow our immune systems to fight infection and disease, as well as maintaining essential body function.
Having too many sugary foods, juices or sweets in your children’s life can erode enamel and cause painful cavities. So try to aim for healthier snacks throughout the day, rather than relying on your child’s sweet tooth to dictate their diet!
Trips to the dentist
Fears are rooted in our experiences. If we associate something with pain or risk as a child, it is likely to stay with us into adulthood.
Enter the dentist chair.
From bleeding gums to stinky breath, encouraging good dental habits, and visiting the best Pediatric specialist dentist from the start are fundamental to your child’s oral hygiene journey. Naturally, if your child encounters several trips to the dentist due to tooth or gum problems, they aren’t going to be that happy to go in the first place. So, start off well.
Getting your little one booked in for their first dentist appointment before their first birthday will ensure a more comfortable experience in the dental chair. This will turn a potentially daunting experience into an enjoyable one. Happy teeth, happy child!
For extra encouragement, check out your child’s favourite TV and book heroes online. From Hey Duggee and the Tooth Brushing Badge to Peppa Pig: Dentist Trip, there are a lot of stories to inspire your children to leap into the dentist’s chair!
The importance of fluoride
Fluoride has had a lot of mixed press over the years. However, it offers your teeth the greatest protection against cavities. It strengthens the enamel, making it harder for bacterial acid to penetrate.
When thinking about your baby’s teeth, your greatest concern should be keeping their gums and teeth fresh from food debris and sugar buildup. You can introduce the fluoride strengthened toothpaste later. For now, keep it simple and only ever use a smidge or toothpaste until toothbrushing becomes the norm.
For toddlers and beyond, using a toothpaste that has the appropriate amount of fluoride for their age group will keep their teeth protected.
Ready to kickstart your child’s oral hygiene journey? It’s never too early to introduce good dental habits into your little one’s life. So avoid painful visits to the dentist and give your children the toolkit they need to secure their future.