20 Feb Dental Tips for Kids in Prescott
February is National Children’s Dental Health Month! And this year, the theme for the month is “Defeat Monster Mouth.” The American Dental Association (ADA) sponsors the month-long observance and offers free downloadable activities and worksheets for kids that you can find here. At Prescott Dentistry, we understand that developing good dental habits at an early age can help your children have a beautiful, healthy smile for the rest of their lives. So, in keeping with this month’s observance of children’s dental health, here are our helpful dental tips for kids!
Dental Tips for Infants
- Babies’ teeth start to break through the gums at about 6 months. But it is important to start with good oral care even before the first tooth pops up. How? Wipe your baby’s gums with a washcloth after feeding. It will help remove bacteria that can lead to tooth decay later on.
- Once their teeth start to come in, brush them twice a day. Use a soft toothbrush and apply very little toothpaste—an amount equivalent to the size of a grain of rice.
- Don’t let your baby fall asleep with his or her bottle. Baby-bottle tooth decay can develop when they drink from a bottle over a period of several hours, or when they fall asleep with it.
- Schedule your baby’s first dental visit before his or her first birthday or after the first tooth comes in (whichever comes first).
Dental Tips for Kids
Here are some useful dental tips for kids, ages 3 and older:
- Use a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste. Make sure your child spits it out and doesn’t swallow it.
- Be sure your child brushes for at least 2 minutes, twice each day. Letting your child pick out an electric toothbrush with a timer can be helpful. There are also apps that can make brushing for two minutes fun and exciting.
- Start flossing between their teeth as soon as two teeth begin to touch one another. You will have to help them at first, but kids should have the ability to brush on their own by age 6 and floss on their own by age 10.
- If your child plays sports, encourage him or her to wear a mouthguard to protect their teeth from injuries.
- Make sure kids who wear braces use a power brush to avoid white spots on teeth when the braces come off.
- Visit us at Prescott Dentistry every 6 months for a professional cleaning and checkup.
We know the dentist can be a scary place for some kids, but at Prescott Dentistry we do everything we can to make their visit a positive experience. And as a parent, if you’re anxious about dentist visits, please make sure you aren’t passing that along to your child. Often, the less you say, the better. If you treat it as a normal activity, chances are your child will, too. If you have more questions about dental tips for kids, be sure to contact us or ask at your next appointment. One of the best things you can do for your children’s health is to start them off with good dental habits for a lifetime of healthy teeth and gums!
Images used under creative commons license – commercial use (2/20/2019) Pixaby