Smile!

Tips for Keeping Your Child’s Teeth Healthy

1.    Start cleaning your child’s teeth and gums with gauze or a wash cloth and warm water as soon as the first tooth erupts. Most dentists suggest using fluoride-free toothpaste until kids are old enough to spit toothpaste out themselves.

2.    Don’t put kids to bed with bottles or sippy cups. Not only can this habit cause tooth decay, it actually doesn’t bode well for potty training down the road! Help children learn to fall asleep on their own.

3.    Go to the dentist. Schedule your child’s first dental appointment after her first tooth erupts through the gums. Try to get your child to the dentist by the time she’s one year old, even if she has no teeth.

4.    Take away the pacifiers, or try to curb thumb sucking. Pacifiers and thumb sucking are harmful to the formation of your child’s bite.

5.    Get your children interested in brushing their own teeth at a young age. While kids generally aren’t ready to brush their teeth without assistance until they are 5 or 6 years old, letting them help when they are younger will help them understand the importance of good, consistent oral care.

6.    Give your child a soft tooth brush, and teach her to brush all sides of all teeth – not just the fronts.

7.    Give your child a stool to stand on, so she can watch herself brush.

8.    Make sure she takes her time when brushing. Ideally, everyone should spend at least 2 to 3 minutes brushing teeth gently in a circular motion from the gums down.

9.    To teach children how to spit, have them aim at the drain in the sink while making the “patooey!” sound. This will help them position their lips properly for spitting – and it makes a pretty fun game!

10.    Floss your child’s teeth, especially in places where the space between teeth is tight or if teeth overlap. Flossing your child’s teeth at a young age will help her understand the importance of this life-long habit.

11.    Use oral care probiotics. These beneficial bacteria help support the good bacteria that reside in the mouth to support tooth health. They can reach into the crevices of tooth surfaces where brushes and floss can’t quite reach.