Promoting Positive Oral Health From An Early Age

It is important to both teach and talk to your kids about their oral health and their teeth. You want your children to have good oral health habits in place early in life, and you want them to fully understand that their adult teeth or permanent teeth are forever. The actions they take now can impact their teeth later in life. However, many parents have no idea where to start in implementing these good habits into their children’s life and how to have discussions about their oral health and permanent teeth. Here are a few tips that can help promote positive habits in your child’s dental health.

Develop Good Oral Health Habits Young

One of the most common mistakes that parents make in regards to their child’s overall oral and dental health is not teaching them good habits early in life. While your child’s permanent teeth may be years from peeking through the gums, teaching your child how to care for those teeth starts early in life. Teaching your child to brush their teeth and visit a dentist should start as soon as a child’s first teeth begin to come through. Visiting a pediatric dental professional can teach your child to care for their teeth. If you develop these habits young, your child will not think twice about having to implement these habits into their routine when their adult teeth come in.

Develop Good Habits Together

Another tip for developing good oral health and talking about teeth is to develop good habits together. Children mimic what they see adults doing. However, many parents do not allow their kids to see them brush and floss their teeth or visit the dentist. They may brush and floss their teeth before their children are up or after they go to bed. Instead, as your child sits and brushes their teeth, make it a habit to brush your teeth at the same time. You can also encourage them by brushing your teeth with them after a meal. Your child can then ask questions, and this opens the door to a healthy conversation.

Use Books Or Online Websites to Start a Discussion

It is also not uncommon for parents to not know where to go when it comes to discussing oral health and permanent teeth with their children. Fortunately, we live in an amazing time, where you can easily find a lot of information online. You can use online websites that can provide you with topic starters, statistics, pamphlets or even videos and book recommendations for having these discussions with your kids. You can find age appropriate information that can help you relay information to your child on what they need to know about their oral health and permanent teeth.

Talk With Your Child’s Pediatric Dentist

Finally, be sure to talk with your child’s pediatric dentist. They can help provide you with information about your child’s overall dental health. They can tell you if your child is brushing or flossing well, and what changes they would recommend your child makes. A pediatric dentist is a great resource for educating your child about their teeth, so be sure to include them in your discussions.Here at Ponte Vedra Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics, located in Ponte Vedra, Florida, we offer many services to help care for your child’s teeth. Some of our services include preventative care, regular dental exams, restorative care, cosmetic dentistry, sedation dentistry, early and interceptive orthodontic care, orthodontics-comprehensive care for adolescents and adults, emergency care, teeth cleaning, sealants, fillings, and mouth guards. Contact us now to get started.