Caring for your children's teeth isn't very different for looking after your own, but teaching good oral hygiene at a young age will help encourage good habits for life.
Kids need to brush twice daily and floss at least once per day. They should also visit the dentist regularly. These simple steps will help prevent tooth decay and gum disease.
Brush Before Bedtime
Brushing before bedtime helps reduce plaque buildup overnight. Kids also fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer with a pre-bedtime routine and a good night's sleep is really important for overall health.
Floss Daily
Brushing twice a day will reduce plaque buildup and prevent tooth decay. We also know to floss daily to remove food particles stuck between teeth and under the gum line.
Introducing children to this as part of their routine will help them keep the habit as they get older, but when should they start?
Children can start flossing as soon as they have two teeth touching, which is usually around ages 2-3.
Avoid sugary food and drinks
We all know a sugary diet contributes to tooth decay, but did you know that every 10 minutes a child in England has their tooth removed in hospital?
Too much sugar in a juvenile diet can also contribute to poor health conditions, such as childhood obesity and diabetes.
Helping kids by limiting their sugar intake is a great way to keep their mouths and bodies healthy.
Drink water
Drinking water helps keep teeth healthy by flushing out toxins and bacteria. It also helps maintain proper body temperature and hydration levels.
This is another example of introducing simple good health habits to kids, so they will keep them into adulthood.
Setting a good example
Children learn habits from the adults around them from a very young age, so one of the best ways to teach good oral hygiene is to practice it ourselves.
If we make sure we brush and floss regularly, eat the right things and keep up with our dentist visits, our kids will see that as normal and be more likely to form good habits too.
While we don't recommend our whitening treatments for children, our sports mouth guards are suitable for children aged 9 and up. These are a great way of protecting their teeth while introducing them to sports and active lifestyles.
Find out more about our sports mouth guards here
Comments