Teaching Your Children Good Oral Health

Teaching Your Children Good Oral Health

If you develop good oral health habits early, then you are less likely to have oral health problems.

You know this. We know this. And we want to work with you so your children know this, too.

As parents, you want a dentist who can care for every member of your family, young and old alike.

One of the best things you can do for your children to model good oral health habits. This includes eating healthy, but it also means showing your kids the right way to brush and floss their teeth.

And it means visiting the dentist a couple times each year for routine cleanings and examinations. If you live in or near West Chester, PA, we would love to see you and your children at the office of K.C. Sykora, DDS.

The Early Years

You should start your children’s preventive dental care shortly after they are born. In fact, you should start even before his or her first tooth arrives.

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends using a moist cloth or gauze to wipe your baby’s gums before his or her first tooth erupts.

Once a tooth has emerged, get a small, soft-bristled toothbrush. Twice a day use that brush and a small amount of toothpaste (about the size of a grain of rice) to gently brush his or her tooth.

Keep doing this as more teeth erupt. Once two teeth are side-by-side, you also should start flossing gently between those teeth.

More than likely, you will need to brush and floss your child’s teeth for a few years.

Learning To Do

Around age 3, many children will want to start brushing on their own. One of the best ways to teach your child is by brushing with him or her.

Make sure you child the right size toothbrush and apply a pea-sized amount of toothpaste. (For what it’s worth, this is plenty of toothpaste for adults, too.)

For two minutes, you and your child should scrub your teeth, making sure to clean them on all sides so you can remove as much plaque and as many bacteria as possible.

To make sure you are brushing for two minutes, you can use a timer or download one of the many free apps available for your smartphone. Some even play music or show videos for two minutes so your child will know when he or she is finished.

When you are done brushing your teeth, scrub your tongue and spit out the toothpaste.

Flossing is just as important, and should be done once per day. This is how you and your child can clean the spaces that you can’t clean with a toothbrush.

After breaking of an 18-inch piece of dental floss, show your child how to wrap the ends around their middle fingers. Hold a small piece of floss with your index fingers and thumbs and demonstrate how to clean between your teeth and under your gums.

Throw away the floss when you are finished.

It’s a good idea to oversee your child’s brushing and flossing until you are confident that he or she can do them on their own.

Visiting The Dentist

The worst-case scenario for a dentist is a child who is 7 or 8 years old having a dental emergency who is coming to our office for the first time. Not only is this child going to be in pain, but he or she may be frightened by the tools used for dental care (especially emergency care).

The AAPD recommends bringing your child to the dentist no later than his or her first birthday. Part of the reason for this is to help your child become familiar with our staff and our office.

As you continue to bring your children for regular cleanings (twice a year is recommended), our intent is to prevent problems and build relationships with them.

This can help develop a lifelong habit of preventive care that will reduce his or her risk of cavities, gum disease, and more serious problems.

As your children get older, we can introduce other preventive services such as fluoride treatment, dental sealants, and custom-made mouthguards for the young athletes in your family.

Quality Care From Caring Professionals

The staff at the office of K.C. Sykora, DDS, wants you and your family to be healthy, but we also want you to be happy with your experience. If you have any questions about our services or about things you can do at home to prevent oral health, please feel free to ask us.

Use our online form or call 610-314-7534 to schedule cleanings and examination for your family at our dentist office in West Chester, PA.