One of the most important things you can do for your children is to teach them good dental hygiene at an early age. Habits inculcated at an early age will last a lifetime, helping them to keep their teeth in good condition and avoid painful problems. Basic preventative care methods like regular brushing, flossing take very little effort and will make their regular visits to the dentist easier and less complicated.
Starting early
It’s important to start teaching your kids good dental habits at an early age, so they can become part of their daily routine. These habitats will last them a lifetime, and help to keep their teeth and gums clean and trouble-free. It takes just a little effort, but a surprisingly large number of people neglect their children’s dental health.
For one thing, many people believe that dental hygiene doesn’t matter until children acquire their permanent teeth. But this idea is mistaken, because milk teeth act as placeholders for the permanent teeth that will follow. Problems with milk teeth are likely to replicated later on in life as well. Retailers dental visits should begin when a child is one year old, and regular dental care even earlier.
Why it matters
Dental problems are common among children. Studies have shown that tooth decay is five times more common children than asthma, and twenty times more prevalent than juvenile diabetes. Poor oral health creates problems that cause children to miss schools days. Overall, dental problems and related illness are responsible for the loss of 51 million school hours each year, according to the Center for Health and Health Care in Schools.
Parents typically don’t treat dental care as a priority for young children, and about 20% of children in the U.S. receive no dental care at all. As a result, about 40% of kids have dental problems before they reach kindergarten.
Preventative care methods for young children
While a first dentist visit is not due until the child is a year old, you can begin cleaning your child’s teeth from babyhood. The first teeth begin to appear around the age of four months. These should be gently cleaned with a soft, moistened washcloth. After a while you can move on to using a gentle toothbrush. Unless specifically advised by a dentist, avoid using flouride toothpaste for children until they are two years old.
A first visit to the dentist office should be scheduled when the child is one year old, and this house become a regular feature. Basic preventative care methods like daily brushing and flossing can help your children avoid dental diseases and problems like bad breath and tooth decay. The habits they learn at an early age will last throughout their lives.
Teaching your children preventative care methods and good dental habits early on will make their lives and yours much easier.