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As children begin to age, it becomes important for them to learn good oral hygiene. However, they don’t learn these good habits on their own. By having their parents take the lead, it’s possible to instill in children at an early age just how important it is to take care of their teeth and gums. To learn more about how to teach children good dental hygiene, here are four practices parents can easily teach their little ones.
Brush after Every Meal
If there’s one thing that always results in good oral hygiene, it’s brushing after every meal. To help your kids with this, they should always see you doing this. By taking them with you when you do this and handing them their own toothbrush, you can make this a family affair and even turn it into a fun contest, where the person who finishes first wins.
Flossing
After your little one has finished brushing their teeth, teach them how to floss as well. However, since you’ll be doing this at an early age just as your kids are getting more teeth, be as gentle as possible. Slowly pull the floss back and forth to loosen any food between teeth, being careful to not cause any pain. After all, you want this to be a positive experience.
Visit the Dentist
Along with introducing brushing and flossing at home to your kids, taking them to the dentist for regular visits should also be high on your list of good oral hygiene practices. Professionals, like those at Night & Day Dental, know that this is an incredibly important step. By starting these visits at an early age, children will see these visits as a fun outing, rather than a scary experience. For best results, use a pediatric dentist, since they specialize in dealing with children and may have a better understanding of how to make dental visits fun and entertaining.
Smart Eating Habits
If there is one thing that will play havoc with children’s oral hygiene, it’s eating too many sugary treats. Therefore, it’s always a good idea early on to practice good eating habits in front of your kids, and introduce healthy choices into their diet. By passing up candy bars and cookies for yogurt and fruit, you’ll instill smart eating choices into your kids, which will greatly impact their oral health as they mature.By using these four practices with your children, chances are quite good their teeth and gums will stay in excellent shape for many years to come.