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Dental Care For Kids: 7 Essential Pediatric Oral Health Care Tips

Dental care for kids should start as early as possible. Some parents might not be aware of this, but dental care is important even for your baby! As a first-time parent or a parent who’s not quite sure of the proper dental care required for kids, it’s essential that you begin your research.

Dental Care For Kids: 7 Essential Pediatric Oral Health Care Tips

Without proper dental care, your kids’ teeth can become rotten or damaged at a young age. Although they have adult teeth as backups, you need to start implementing proper dental care at a young age to ensure it sticks with them through their adult years. 

Good oral health stems from good dental care practices, and we can help you get your kids on the right track. It’s never too late to start implementing a good dental care routine. Continue reading below for everything you need to know about teaching your young ones about proper dental care and oral hygiene! 

     1. Brush and Floss Once They Get Teeth

As soon as your toddler grows in their first tooth, you need to start brushing it. When they get their second tooth, start flossing if the two teeth touch. You can even start brushing before they get their teeth in by brushing their gums after feeding, first thing in the morning, or before bed. 

Not all children will need their teeth flossed at an early age. An Ocala Florida dentist advised that if their teeth are growing close to one another, then there’s a good chance that food is getting stuck between them and will need flossing.

Otherwise, you can stick with brushing only.

     2. Schedule a Dentist Appointment Upon 1st Tooth

Your children should see a dentist at least by the age of 1. The best time to schedule their first dentist appointment, however, is as soon as you see that first tooth breakthrough. Give your local pediatric dentist a call and ask them about scheduling an appointment. 

The sooner you start caring for your children’s’ teeth, the more money you save down the road. Preventative care early on will keep your children’s teeth from rotting or forming cavities in the future. Be sure to read more about cavities to know what to look for.

     3. Don’t Lie Them Down for Bed With a Bottle

If you’re a first-time parent or a more experienced one, you’ve most likely lied your children down with a bottle at some point in time. If you haven’t done this yet, then you’ve at least thought about it. Once your babies start to hold their bottles on their own, this is a major break for you.

Being a parent is tough and laying them down with their bottles is convenient. You don’t, however, want to lie your children down for bed with a bottle. If they ever do fall asleep with a bottle, be sure to take it from them as soon as you can. 

You can also consider lying them down with a small amount of water in the bottle if they need their bottle to hold and sleep with. Baby bottles can cause tooth decay. Formula, milk, and juice all contain sugars that cause teeth to rot. 

     4. Limit the Amount of Juice They Drink

Aside from not letting them fall asleep with a bottle of juice, you should limit the amount of juice they get throughout the day as well. Even juice that’s 100% juice with no added sugars still has natural sugar in it. If they’re allowed to drink juice all throughout the day, then they’re teeth are being subjected to sugars regularly. 

Instead, give them non-sugary beverages during meals and treat juice as a treat!

     5. Free Them of the Paci Sooner Before Later

Your children’s pacifiers can cause damage to their teeth. Pacifiers can alter the shape of your children’s teeth and mouth. The best tip on pacifiers is to get rid of them before they turn 3. 

If your children are still using pacifiers by the age of 3, then speak to their pediatric dentist about what you can do to ensure their teeth are cared for. 

     6. Don’t Allow Them to Carry a Sippy Cup Around

Just like the bottle and pacifier, a sippy cup causes oral health issues as well. If children walk around carrying a sippy cup all day long with sugary beverages inside of it, then they’re teeth will soon decay. This decay can form on the fronts of their teeth and the backs. 

If your children must walk around with a sippy in hand to be content, allow them to have water in their cups. 

     7. Stick to a Consistent Brushing and Flossing Schedule

Sticking to a consistent brushing and flossing schedule from the beginning of your children’s lives is going to help them have good oral hygiene throughout their adult lives. Even when your children want to battle you about brushing and flossing, don’t give in. 

Be strong and stay consistent. Brushing and flossing each day is not a choice, it’s a necessity! Be patient with them, allow them to choose their favorite toothbrush and toothpaste, and be sure to brush early enough in the night so that they’re not too tired. 

Practice These Dental Care for Kids Tips Every Day!

Dental care for kids is essential for adult oral care. What you show them and teach them now about dental hygiene is what’ll stick with them and what they’ll know for the future. Keep these tips in mind when wanting to practice good dental care with your children and remember to stay consistent!

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Afton Jackson

Monday 31st of August 2020

Thank you for the suggestion of limiting a child's juice to a very minimal amount in order to prevent their teeth from being exposed to sugar too much. If there's anything I know that can ruin a child's teeth, it's sugar, and I've always wanted to know what are the best ways to watch out for it. Since this is something that I see offered a lot around in restaurants and other establishments, I'll make sure I keep your tips in mind while looking for a pediatric dentist that can help me keep my kids' dental health in check.

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