Teaching Oral Hygiene and Care to Children
The American Academy of Pediatrics states that tooth decay is one of the most common and recurring diseases in children ages six to 12, and teenagers ages 12 to 19. In fact, children and young adults are five times more susceptible tooth decay than other illnesses like hay fever and asthma. Children as young as preschool-age can develop tooth decay.
Why early childhood cavities develop
In early childhood, tooth decay is termed baby bottle tooth decay. This is a serious kind of tooth disease. What are its causes?
a. Allowing babies to suck on milk bottles, to the point of letting them fall asleep with the bottle in their mouths. Formula milk and breast milk contain sugar that can stay on teeth cause tooth decay.
b. Extending the period for breastfeeding and letting the baby fall asleep in the process of nursing.
c. Allowing the baby stroll around with the milk bottle.
Now, don’t despair! You can prevent cavities from forming in your kids of you are armed with the right information. First and foremost, you must never allow your baby to develop the habit of sleeping with his milk bottle. If he shows displeasure, put water in his bottle instead. The best kids dentist will recommend that you exchange a training cup for the baby’s bottle as he reaches age one.
Teaching dental hygiene to very young kids can be a bit of a challenge. The obstacles are distractions around him, fear, or lack of interest. A dentist for kids in PA can give several suggestions to help you teach oral care to your kids. What’s great about these suggestions is that they make the learning experience fun.
a. Parents should serve as role models for children between three to six years old on the matter of brushing and flossing. Age three to six should also be the time that they have their first dental visit. The first visit will make sure that your child’s oral health is attended to early on.
b. Talk with your child about the benefits of going to a dentist’s clinic. Tell him that the visit will help him keep toothaches and tooth loss far away. Emphasize the positive aspects of going to the clinic of an affordable dentist for kids. As such, mention the play area, the colorful décor, and other kids to play with.
c. The formative years between eight to 11 years old are also the times when kids lose their milk teeth. They then sprout permanent teeth. In short, you should ensure that your kids brush and floss properly to maintain the health of their teeth.
d. The later teenage years between 14 to 18 years old also sees your kids becoming conscious of their appearance. If your kids have misaligned teeth, you might need to ask for braces and retainers to set their teeth right.
The American Dentist Association recommends that flossing, brushing and regular dental visits should be done to maintain the perfect set of teeth. So, you have to make sure to find the best kids dentist in Philadelphia for kids. An affordable dentist for kids in PA is easy to find with a school system the aids children learn oral health in the curriculum. For instance, a kids dentist in Pennsbury puts together a puppet show for students in early childhood learning centers to grab a child’s attention while still early. Teaching dental hygiene to toddlers is not that easy. However, you can ask for assistance from your pediatric dentist.
