Important Things You Might Not Know About Your Children’s Dental Health

Important Things You Might Not Know About Your Children’s Dental Health

It’s easy to believe that oral health isn’t too much of an issue. After all, aren’t there other things about the body that require more attention? As a result of this thinking, adults and children alike don’t put too much stock in their dental health, when the reality is that dental health is more important than you make think.

Here are five things you may not know about children’s dental health, and how you can use them to teach your kids to make good choices for their dental health early on.

1. Children need to see a Pediatric Dentist 6 months after their first tooth comes in (or by their first Birthday)

It’s good to get started maintaining good dental health early, because tooth decay doesn’t wait for children to reach a certain age. Cleaning your children’s teeth and promoting proper oral hygiene from a young age will encourage them to make better dental health choices later on in life.

2. Juice is just as harmful as soda

Kids who regularly consume juice are at greater risk of tooth decay due to its high sugar content. As a matter of fact the amount of sugar found in most juices is often equal to or greater than that of soda. It’s because of this a good idea to have your kids go for water or milk instead.

3. It’s not about how often they brush, but how well

Teaching your kids to brush properly is important for maintaining good brushing habits for the rest of their life. It’s crucial that they brush for a full two minutes. You can either do this with a kitchen timer you can keep in the bathroom or a Kolibree (a toothbrush that digitally senses how long and how well your youngster brushes) if you want to be extravagant.

4. Kids should wear mouthguards for all sports

It’s important that mouthguards be worn for all sports, and not just football or any other high-impact sport. In fact, nearly every sport presents a potential risk to your children’s face, teeth, and gums. You would surprised just how often dentists and oral surgeons see children who suffered injuries that a mouthguard could’ve prevented.

5. There are foods that create better smiles

There are certain foods you’ll want to add to your child’s diet to promote long-lasting dental health. These foods include dairy products, firm and crunchy fruits, lean protein (such as chicken), nuts, and vegetables, since they are great sources for calcium and phosphorous that remineralize your kids’ teeth and provide enamel protection. This will give them a happier, healthier smile.

Conclusion

There are plenty of resources out there to help make increasing your children’s dental knowledge fun and exciting. You can also learn more at the ADA official website. Don’t forget to leave us a comment below if you have any questions or thoughts.

Until next time, we at the Greater Houston Pediatric Dentistry want to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving!

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