Dental hygiene is a habit that should be instilled in young children. The oral care practices that kids learn at an early age carry over into maintaining healthy adult mouths. It is best to teach children to care for their teeth by showing them examples of correct methods. Incorporating engaging activities into oral health care will make the lessons stick even better.
Education
The first step to promoting lifelong dental health for your child is to teach him what proper hygiene really includes. Teach your child that teeth have the important job of chewing food, helping him speak clearly and giving him a beautiful smile. Once the permanent teeth come in, let him know that those teeth are supposed to last for his whole life, so they have to be taken care of well. If you don't know all the oral hygiene details yourself, visit a website with your child that promotes oral health; some of them offer games and activities for kids that drive the lessons home.
Brushing
Brushing teeth twice a day is essential to a child's oral health. This task removes the plaque and bacteria that cause cavities. With toddlers and young children, you may want to brush their teeth first so they know what it should feel like. Talk to your child as you brush to explain what you are doing. Then, let her go behind you and brush again so she gets to practice. Choose a fluoride toothpaste approved by the American Dental Association, preferably one with a pleasant taste, to make your child more eager to brush.
Flossing
Flossing may be a little more difficult for your child. Most young children do not have the manual dexterity to move the floss in between the teeth. If that is the case, you can floss the teeth yourself. Flossing is important to remove plaque from between the teeth and below the gum line. If you cannot floss your child's teeth properly with string floss, floss picks make the job a little bit easier.
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