You need to make sure you get your children into a good tooth brushing habit from a young age.  As soon as your child’s first tooth erupts you need to make sure it is brushed properly.  I found it helpful to get my boys a timer so we could make sure they brush for long enough!  Before having a timer, they would brush far too fast.  Children should aim to brush for two minutes twice a day.  And as they grow up, it’s essential to find a good dentist by checking out pediatric dentist options in Vista.  Read on for more tips regarding how to take care of your child’s teeth.

Trip to the Dentist

The Vallance Dental Centre recommend using a fluoride toothpaste and reducing sugar intake to help stop decay. It is important to establish good cleaning habits early on.  Bleeding gums are a sign of gum disease and in response its important to improve brushing technique.

A child should have regular visits to the dentist from the moment they have their first tooth.  This St Helens dentist offers a child membership as they believe in giving your child the best start.  It includes a hygiene visit to keep teeth in tip top condition, free fluoride treatments and a yearly dental examination.

When I was a child, I managed to knock out my front teeth in the school yard!  Luckily, I quickly got an emergency dentist appointment as it was quite traumatic!  Thankfully they were my first teeth.

It’s important you make children realize that the dentist isn’t scary!  Even if you are a bit nervous yourself.  I tend to send my husband in with the kids because I am not a fan of the dentist!  But I do understand how important it is to visit them and the last thing I want to do is pass on my anxiety!

Minimizing Sugary Snacks

Children love sweets but you need to try and restrict how often they eat them.  What surprised me was the fact even sugar free drinks can erode the teeth because of the acid in them!  Try and limit sweets and chocolate for mealtimes only.  Not something they have access all day long otherwise the mouth wouldn’t neutralise and the acid would continue to damage their teeth.  Lollipops or hard candies that last a long time are best avoided.

Flossing

Children should get into the habit of flossing; you can buy products especially for children that are easier to handle.  I don’t floss often enough so I need to get into a better habit so I can be a good role model for my boys.

Dummies and Bottles

Children should stop having bottles once they reach one.  The action of sucking means the liquid stays on their teeth longer, not so bad if its water but if you have started giving them juice it will start to damage the teeth.

Using a dummy for long periods of time can impact the shape of your child’s teeth.  You should aim to stop dummy use once they reach 12 months so the teeth can develop properly.

Tooth Friendly Food

Celery, cucumber and melon are good options as they have lots of water in them.  Certain cheeses can increase the saliva in your mouth so that can help!

Calcium

Make sure your child has plenty of calcium.  We reviewed Arla milk recently and I was very impressed as it has 50% of an adult’s calcium requirement in one 250ml glass!