Baby teeth are perfect. Unfortunately, they won’t stay perfect on their own. Teeth require proper care and cleaning to stay healthy.
If you’re a parent with a young child at home, there are many things you can do to help ensure that your child’s teeth will remain healthy. Helping your child to develop good habits, encouraging a healthy diet, and promoting a positive attitude toward the dentist are all things you can do to keep your child’s teeth white and beautiful for as long as possible. Here’s what you need to know.
1. Start Early, and Make It Fun
This may come as a surprise, but it’s important to brush your child’s teeth from the very start. Baby toothbrushes are tiny and many of them are designed to fit over your finger, so you can clean your child’s teeth by sticking the end of your finger in their mouth. Using a tiny portion of toothpaste on your child’s toothbrush, you can help your child keep clean and healthy teeth from the very beginning.
Bring your baby in for their first dentist appointment by the time they’re one year old. Getting an early start can help your child avoid dental decay and cavities.
Make brushing your child’s teeth fun. Sing songs to your baby as you brush their teeth, and make goofy sounds and faces. Your baby will smile and laugh through having their teeth brushed, so it becomes a treasured part of their daily routine.
2. Encourage a Healthy Diet
Sugar leads to dental decay. Unfortunately, sugar is in many foods and drinks that we consume throughout the day. Limit your child’s intake of sodas, fruit juices, and candy. Encourage your child to eat fresh vegetables, whole grains, and healthy protein like beans and nuts. By encouraging your child to eat a healthy diet, you can get their dental hygiene off to the right start, and you can also help your child develop tastes for healthy foods.
3. Promote a Positive Attitude
Children often adopt their parents’ attitudes, whether those attitudes are positive or negative. You can encourage your child to have a positive attitude about the dentist by talking about good experiences that you’ve had with the dentist yourself.
Talk about how you like going to the dentist because you like the way your teeth feel clean when the dentist is done. Mention how often you go to the dentist, and why you go to the dentist that often.
4. Consider Dental Sealants
Dental sealants form a protective layer over tooth enamel, preventing tooth decay and cavities. Dental sealants are commonly applied to children’s teeth to keep their tooth enamel safe. Consider dental sealants for your child, and if you have questions, ask your child’s dentist the next time you take your child in for a dental appointment.
Want to know more about how you can keep your child’s teeth healthy? Ask your child’s dentist in Tampa. Call Weninger Dentistry today to make your child’s next dental appointment.