Prevent Bad Habits

There are so many things to keep track of when you have kids. Whether they're still little or growing up fast, they have schedules and activities keeping everyone busy all day every day. It can be easy to let things fall by the wayside, including dental hygiene.

Good dental habits are vital for kids. Problems with tooth decay or teeth not growing in properly can have long-term repercussions. So many issues can be avoided with proper dental care.

Your kids may fight you when it comes to taking the time to brush their teeth the recommended twice daily. They may not want to go to the dentist. They may insist on eating unhealthy things. Here are some ways we at Dr. Beanca Children's Dentistry suggest you can help your child develop dental habits which will lead to a lifetime of healthy teeth.

Start Them Young

You can begin caring for your child's teeth before they even have teeth! After feedings, a clean, warm cloth can help keep bacteria away from your baby's gums and tongue. Once their teeth begin to erupt, those can be brushed with a soft-bristled toothbrush and a grain-of-rice-sized amount of toothpaste.

If you've been brushing their teeth since they were less than a year old, your kids will never know any different. Twice a day, you should be making sure your child's teeth are clean. When they're old enough to understand, you can keep up a running commentary while you brush their teeth. You can explain exactly what you're doing and why it's so important.

Let them see you brushing your teeth, too. Children learn by mimicking what their parents do and say. Show them what good dental habits look like by brushing and flossing twice a day where they can watch.

Most kids eventually enter a phase where they want to do things for themselves—usually when they enter the toddler stage. This is likely to create a desire to brush their own teeth. Every child is different, but most won't have the manual dexterity to properly brush their own teeth until they are at least 6 years old, and it takes some kids longer. Until then, you may need to brush their teeth before or after they make an attempt to ensure a thorough cleaning.

Make it Fun

Have a family brushing session twice a day where you and your child brush at the same time. Set a timer. Put on some music and dance for two minutes while you brush. Make it fun, and your kids won't think of it as a chore.

Your kids may be even more enthusiastic about brushing if they have a toothbrush that's their favorite color or features their favorite character. And if they're not into the minty flavor of most kinds of toothpaste, there are a wide variety of kid-friendly flavors to choose from.

If motivation is an issue, you can use a reward system. Give them a sticker each time they brush, each time they floss, and each time they get a good report from the dentist. These stickers can add up to a big reward. These rewards don't have to cost anything. Allow them extra screen time or the choice of a movie for a family movie night. As they're earning stickers, they are developing a good dental hygiene routine.

Teach Healthy Eating Habits

What your child is eating can drastically affect the health of their teeth. From a young age, you can encourage kids to eat foods that will strengthen their teeth.

Foods that are high in calcium and protein promote good dental health. Calcium is needed to build strong teeth. Calcium can be found in milk, yogurt, and cheese. Protein helps strengthen tooth enamel. Protein is found in lean meats like turkey and chicken, as well as in white fish. Nuts—including those in low-sugar peanut butter—make a great snack and offer a quick hit of protein.

Crunchy, raw foods such as apples and carrots can help keep teeth clean by removing bacteria from the surface of teeth. Fruits and vegetables are good for a child's overall health and should be part of their daily diet.

There are, of course, foods to avoid. Food and drinks with large amounts of sugar in them can be damaging to teeth. These include soda, juice, candy, and dried fruit. Starchy food is also something to watch out for. Pizza, potato chips, and white bread fall into this category. Anything sticky or hard can damage the enamel on your child's teeth.

It can be tricky keeping your kids away from these enticing foods. You can, however, teach them alternative choices and encourage them to limit their intake of foods that may do harm to their teeth.

Keep Up with All Things Dental

You want your child to keep up good dental routines even when you're not there prompting them. Maybe they're going away to camp or to visit with relatives. Perhaps it's time for college. Whatever the case may be, you want to feel confident that they will do what's required to avoid dental problems.

To that end, make sure that when they're with you, you set up a routine. Establish morning and evening brushing times. Make sure their dental equipment is stocked and fresh. Involve them in choosing healthy food at home and at the grocery store. Get them to the dentist for an exam and cleaning every six months. Remind them that proper dental care is vital.

Your child will follow your lead. If you make all these routines a part of your everyday lives while your child is young, there's a good chance they will carry those routines forward as they grow older and more independent.

Ready for a Dental Health Partner?

At Dr. Beanca Children's Dentistry, we're here for you. Not only can we provide exams and cleanings and make sure your child's teeth are growing in well, but we can also educate both you and your child on good dental health practices. Our job is to make sure that by the time your child is ready to move on from a pediatric dentist to a general dentist, they will have plenty of good dental practices firmly in place.

If you're looking for a dental health partner in the Huntington Beach, CA, area, look no further. Contact our office today!