Before bringing your kids to dentists or orthodontists, Edmonton parents can give their children a great head start by making sure everyone in the household has good dental care habits. For many parents, this can be a challenge. It’s hard to get children to practice good dental care, especially when they’re too young to understand its importance. But because dental care is so essential for overall health, this is an area where parents can do their kids a favor by being stringent with the household rules.
Although it’s important to take your kids in for frequent check-ups with dentists and orthodontists, Edmonton parents should remember that the daily dental-care habits performed at home are the most important element of oral care. Unfortunately, getting kids to care for their teeth properly can be a challenge, but young minds soak up new information like little sponges, so it can’t hurt to at least try to impart these tips.
1. Beneficial brushing habits. As adults, we’ve been brushing for so many years that it’s almost impossible to understand what it’s like to be a child who’s learning it for the first time. It seems like a simple task, but there are actually good ways and bad ways to do it, and it’s important to develop good habits early in life. Here are the main things that everyone should do:
- Hold the tooth brush at a 45-degree angle and brush in quick, circular motions.
- Brush for at least two minutes, and do it 2 or 3 times a day, especially after meals. A stopwatch can be helpful for getting the timing right.
- Make sure to get all the surfaces—outside and inside, plus the molar chewing surfaces.
- Brushing too hard can cause tooth sensitivity and gum recession, so be gentle.
- Don’t forget the tongue and the roof of the mouth. It may feel a little funny, but it helps to swab away bacteria.
2. Floss every day: Flossing should be done once or twice a day. As all dentists and orthodontists (Edmonton or anywhere else) will tell you, there’s no age at which it’s too early for children to take up this habit. Like brushing, it’s quite easy to learn. Just pull the floss between your two teeth, and then drag it against the edge of each tooth. For people who are new to flossing (including children), it can be a difficult habit to learn, but once you get the hang of it, it becomes just as easy as brushing.
3. Cutting sugar: As most parents are well aware, sugar and starch can wreak havoc on teeth. That’s why, if you’re a parent of young children, it’s a good idea to limit their sugar intake. Things like sugary sodas and other empty-calorie beverages are out, as are sugary snacks in between meals. When dessert is a necessity, it’s best to have it right after dinner, and to brush immediately afterward. Studies have found that sugar leaves the mouth much more easily during and after mealtimes, so keep this in mind.
4. Begin check-ups early: Dentists recommend that kids should start getting check-ups as soon as the baby teeth begin to come in. After that, every 6 months or so is the optimal pace. Even when no obvious dental or orthodontic issues are present, prevention is a huge part of oral medicine, so it never hurts to have your dentist take a good look. If you haven’t yet found any dentists or orthodontists, Edmonton has numerous doctors who can be reached by Googling “Orthodontists Edmonton,” or you can also go to the Orthodontists Edmonton page of the Canadian Association of Orthodontics website.
