As parents, we are constantly teaching our children. We teach them their colors and numbers, help them learn to read, tie their shoes, be polite and how to speak and even eat properly. However, oftentimes as parents we tend to forget how important it is to teach our children about good oral hygiene. Good healthy hygiene habits are about more than not having bad breath. Good oral hygiene helps keep our children healthy, pain free and feeling more confident. Here are just a few ways that you can teach your children about good oral hygiene.
Make Dental Visits A Part Of Your Child’s Lifestyle. Starting dental visits for your child at the earliest age recommended and continuing through out their formative years is a great way to start teaching your child about the importance of good oral hygiene. When your child visits the dentist on a regular basis starting from around the age of one these visits become a habit, a natural part of their life that they are likely to continue once they reach adulthood.
Make Brushing Your Child’s Teeth A Habit Before The First Tooth. You can begin making brushing your child’s teeth a habit even before they have teeth. Wiping their gums with a soft washcloth will help to remove milk build up. Once their first tooth comes in using a baby tooth brush to brush your child’s teeth will simply allow your child to grow up with the familiarity of having their teeth brushed. Once they are old enough to hold a toothbrush, begin teaching them to brush their own teeth.
Teach Your Children About Teeth Healthy Foods. By serving your children raw vegetables and fresh fruits while they are young, you will be teaching them to enjoy these teeth healthy foods. You should also teach them to brush their teeth after meals and to brush their teeth after drinking sugared drinks and eating sugary foods. Explain to them once they get old enough that by brushing or rinsing after these treats, they are helping to prevent cavities from forming.
Teach Your Children To Floss At A Young Age. Teaching your child to floss at a young age is important to their oral hygiene. If you are unsure of how to teach your child to floss properly, have your child’s dentist show them the proper way to floss.
Teach By Example. Like everything in life, our children learn best by example. By practicing good oral habits yourself and keeping your own dental appointments, you will be sending the message to your children that good oral hygiene is important. If you put both your own oral hygiene and your child’s at the top of your priority list, your child will grow up understanding how important caring for their teeth and gums is and will be more likely to give oral hygiene the time and attention it needs.
Children are best at those things they are taught at a young age and then have reinforced for them throughout their formative years. By showing concern for your child’s oral hygiene from birth throughout his childhood, you will be teaching him the importance of good oral hygiene that will last throughout his life.
