Who said only adults can make new year’s resolutions? Certainly not All Kids Dental.
What Are 5 Teeth-Friendly New Year’s Resolutions For Kids?
New Year’s Day is the time of year to celebrate new beginnings. For parents, it’s also an opportunity to teach good oral health as an easy-to-achieve goal for your children. Improving your child’s oral care early on can benefit them for the rest of their lives. Below, we highlight easy-to-achieve dental resolutions for kids:
- Make Brushing And Flossing Fun
- Enjoy Foods That Encourage Healthy Teeth
- Drink Plenty Of Water
- Watch Out For Harmful Oral Habits
- Visit Your Pediatric Dentist Regularly
Make Brushing And Flossing Fun
Making oral hygiene fun is one of the best solutions for keeping children’s teeth healthy. If little ones enjoy brushing and flossing, it makes it easier for everyone involved, and they are more likely to keep doing it throughout their lives. The problem is that brushing your teeth every day can be a bit boring and monotonous, so your challenge is to spice things up! You can have your child brush to a two-minute song, hold a brushing contest, or dance while flossing.
Enjoy Foods That Encourage Healthy Teeth
Children love cookies and candy as much as anyone else, but when it comes to sugary foods, juices, and starchy foods like chips, moderation is key. Bacteria in the mouth feed on the debris left behind and release acids that cause tooth decay. Have your child rinse their mouth after eating or drinking these types of foods, and limit these treats to special occasions. Be especially careful with sugary and sticky foods such as gummies as they tend to stay on your teeth for longer and can cause more damage. Instead, encourage your child to eat a teeth-healthy diet that includes fresh vegetables, calcium, and lean proteins to keep their teeth strong and clean.
Drink Plenty Of Water
When a child drinks water, food particles and plaque are washed away and saliva production is stimulated. Saliva helps replace minerals lost during the acid attack of oral bacteria. Water also contains no sugar or starch, so drinking water will not increase the chances of tooth decay in toddlers, children, or adults.
Watch Out For Harmful Oral Habits
It is not uncommon for children to engage in thumb-sucking or pacifier use in their early development. However, continuing these habits beyond a certain point could lead to dental problems that could require costly orthodontic treatment when the child is older. To avoid this, we usually suggest intervening if the child is still using a pacifier or sucking on their thumb after the age of 3. Additionally, other habits such as breathing through their mouth can have a negative effect on their bite. Therefore, it is important to help your child break these habits in order to ensure oral health in the long run.
Visit Your Pediatric Dentist Regularly
We know you are busy and have a lot on your plate, but it is worth having your child visit the dentist twice a year for a check-up and cleaning. It is important to start these appointments as early as possible so your child can get used to having an in-office appointment every six months. Scheduling regular dental checkups will help ensure your child’s teeth, gums and jaw are developing properly. Pediatric dentists can also catch problems early, when they are easier to treat.
It is never too late to start healthy habits at home with your child. At All Kids Dental, we use advanced technology to make visits as convenient, efficient, and fast as possible for you and your children. We offer pediatric emergency dental care services along with treatments in cosmetic, general, and restorative dentistry to Suffolk and surrounding communities. To learn more about our services, call 757-922-8110 today.
