Protecting your child is the job of every parent. But what are you doing to protect their teeth? It is an often-overlooked piece of health for children and adults alike. But taking care of the teeth is an important part of being healthy. It can have far reaching consequences on overall wellbeing and self esteem. Protect your children’s teeth with these simple tips and regular childrens dentistry visits.
1. Use mouth guards while playing sports. According to the AAPD, 10-39% of the dental injuries of children are due to sports. The broken and chipped teeth may seem minor, but they can cause great discomfort and can become infected. Stop the pain before it starts with mouth guards during sports.
2. Good dental care begins at an early age. As soon as your children have teeth visible, at about 4 months old, start cleaning them with a soft washcloth. Eventually you will move to a small toothbrush. Starting these practices early will instill the importance of dental health and start the good habit of brushing teeth regularly. Your childrens dentist will thank you.
3. Don’t wait for permanent teeth to come in. Start good habits with baby teeth. It’s true that baby teeth will fall out. But that doesn’t mean they are not important. They serve as place holders for permanent teeth and any damage could have permanent results. Plus, it will help them get in the habit of brushing their teeth regularly. Future childrens dentistry visits will be easier if your kids take care of their teeth early.
4. Consider sealants for your children’s teeth. Sealants have been shown to reduce decay in permanent molars by 81% over the first 2 years. The sealants are good for 4 years, so the benefits keep coming. Contact one of your local pediatric dental clinics about pediatric dental services for more information.
Be sure to use mouth guards for sports and start the good habit of brushing regularly at an early age to help the future childrens dentistry visits easy. Taking these small steps will also help keep your children be healthy and let their self-esteem blossom. Dentist visits can be grueling and expensive, but by keeping good habits you can ease the worry and the financial burden down the line. Contact your local dentist office for additional ways you can keep your children’s smile bright.