If you are caring for a young person at home, then you already know how difficult it can be to get kids to do the simplest things! We hear stories all the time about parents who are having trouble getting their kids to stick to an oral health routine. We get it!
However, developing an adequate oral hygiene routine is important for short-term and long-term success. Keep reading to learn more from our Tinley Park family dentists…
There are a number of good reasons to teach your children to care for their smiles and maintain strong primary teeth. For example…
- Primary teeth allow children to chew and expand their diets
- It is easier for children to learn to speak and enunciate properly when they have healthy teeth
- Children with healthy teeth are more likely to develop positive self-esteem
- Baby teeth allow children to perfect their dental routines before their permanent teeth come in
So, what can you do in order to help your child to prioritize oral health? Well, children are most likely to adopt the behaviors that they see modeled for them day-to-day. With that in mind, try to focus on…
- Brushing teeth every morning
- Brushing teeth at night before bed
- Flossing once a day to get rid of hard-to-reach plaque
- Rinsing with water or a specialized mouth rinse
- Staying hydrated—this is important as it allows your body to produce enough saliva
- Scraping or brushing the tongue, as bacteria can colonize here and create bad breath
As you can see, many of the things that are recommended for pediatric patients are the also as encouraged for adult patients.
If you want to learn more about caring for your smile at any stage, our Tinley Park dentists are here to help you. Call our team, or use our Contact Us page to get started.