The key to raising a happy and healthy child, and ensuring that they develop into healthy adults, is to instill good habits very early on in life. When children are taught proper health and hygiene habits, you can be sure that those habits will follow them into adulthood, and they will know the responsibilities they have to their continued good health.
Maintaining good oral health is crucial to the health of not just our mouths, but also the rest of our bodies. Oral health is systemic–an infected or diseased mouth can, and given enough time, will result in an infected or diseased body. To make sure that your child makes oral health and hygiene a priority in their everyday lives, instill positive habits very early on. Need some tips to get your child to happily take part of the responsibility of maintaining their oral health? Western Dental tips have several on their website, and five of our own tips are below:
- Lead by example. Remember the sentiment of monkey see, monkey do? The best way to start instilling positive habits in your children is to show them that having good oral hygiene is important not just for kids, but also for adults. By your child seeing you brush your teeth and floss every morning and before bedtime, they will be more inclined to want to take part as well.
- Get creative and create a reminder. A piece of construction paper and an assortment of markers can entertain children for hours, and with just those supplies your child can create a brushing reminder for the whole family. Help your child spell the words for the reminder if they need help, and hang their creation on the doorknob to the bathroom with a piece of string or attach it to the bathroom mirror with a piece of tape. They will be proud of what they made and will easily be able to remember to brush their teeth.
- Seek out child-friendly dentists. Going to the dentist is a widely-terrifying event, not just for kids, but for adults too. The main reason why adults have a fear of going to the dentist is often a direct result of a bad experience they had as a child. By seeking out a dentist who is good with children makes their visit a positive experience, you will give your child no reason to be afraid of going in for their regular checkup, and they will properly maintain those visits throughout their life.
- Gum has its benefits. According to a 2008 study published in the Journal of the American Dental Association, sugar-free chewing gum, when chewed after meals, can result in a significant decrease in cavities. This is due predominantly to the increased saliva flow. After dinner, give your child a sugar-free chewing gum treat that is a lot healthier than your typical dessert, and will help protect your child’s mouth against cavities.
- Take advantage of travel dental products. There are several different types of travel dental products on the market, including mini two-in-one toothbrushes like Colgate Wisps that make keeping your teeth clean on the go extremely easy. Pack these items, as well as a small water bottle, in your child’s lunchbox or backpack when you send them off to school, as well as in their sports bag if they play sports, so they can easily maintain their dental hygiene and health while participating in the activities they’re passionate about.
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Western Dental Tips. Incentive was provided to me, and opinions are my own.
Photo by U.S. Coast Guard/Flickr
My youngest son insists on brushing his teeth in the tub at bath time. He loves to brush so if that is what it takes, I am okay with it. It is sooo important to start early.
That’s cute, and I completely agree, if he prefers to brush his teeth in the tub and he has a good time doing it, then in the tub it is! He is definitely off to a great start to keeping his mouth clean and healthy for life.
We are actually in the process of finding a child friendly dentist. They are not easy to find. We want to start our daughter young going to dentist so that she understands that having nice teeth is important.
Chewing sugar free gum after dinner is interesting. It helps reduce cavities? Who would have ever thought gum would have a benefit?
Thank you for the tips!
I never would have thought that gum could have such a positive benefit either until I did some research on the topic. You just want to make sure that it is sugar-free gum, and it really does give kids the illusion that they are getting a “treat” and it sure beats giving them a sugary dessert after dinner. Also, you want to be sure that your child is old enough to know what gum is, how it works, and when to dispose of it.
It would be good to have a gum after dinner. It will care the teeth of your child. It seems really magical, nothing bad to take a trial of it.
Great tips. Children are best at those things they are taught at a young age and then have reinforced for them throughout their formative years. By showing concern for your child’s oral hygiene from birth throughout his childhood, you will be teaching him the importance of good oral hygiene that will last throughout his life.