Too many people don’t take the threat of child tooth decay seriously enough. After all, those baby teeth are going to fall out at some point. However, you want to keep the baby teeth as healthy as possible to make sure the adult teeth are also as healthy as possible.
With that in mind, here are just five tips to protect your children from tooth decay.
- Create a Strong Brushing Routine
Now is the time to build good habits, and there are few better habits to drill into your children than proper brushing. At first, you will need to supervise to make sure they’re reaching every area and not brushing too hard. Coach them to brush twice a day to make sure they continue doing so for the rest of their lives.
- Make Regular Trips to the Dentist
It can be hard to get your child enjoying trips to the dentist – it’s hardly anyone’s favourite place in the world. However, your kids are far more likely to develop a phobia of the dentist if they ever have to have work done. Going on regular trips should avoid the need for nasty fillings and injections, and your dentist will be able to give you hints on taking care of your children’s teeth.
- Brush with Fluoride
Many toothpastes formulated with kids in mind don’t contain fluoride and that can be a real problem. It shouldn’t be used by very young kids, but fluoride toothpaste is recommended for children aged over two years. Just make sure your kids don’t swallow the toothpaste – that fluoride is good for the teeth but isn’t so great for the tummy.
- Limit Sugar
Kids are consuming more sugar than ever. That’s bad for their health, and that includes the teeth. Consuming more sugar is linked to high rates of decay, and children are particularly susceptible. Limit their intake of soft drinks and check other drinks and snacks aren’t too high in the sweet stuff.
- Model Good Oral Healthcare
Your kids mostly model their behaviour on what they see – if you model good oral hygiene, they should follow in your footsteps. One of the best ways to do this is by brushing your teeth together in the morning, which is also a great way to keep tabs on their technique.