Good oral hygiene is important not only for your child’s smile but also for their oral and overall health. Periodontal disease is known to increase the risk for diabetes, lung and heart diseases and several other less common conditions. By maintaining a meticulous oral hygiene routine, you’re keeping your beloved child safe from these costly and certainly more serious health problems. Use the following tips to improve your child’s smile and oral health:
Consider fluoride treatment
Fluoride is a substance added to drinking water and toothpaste to strengthen enamel and help repair damaged teeth. Excessive use of the chemical can, however, have a damaging effect on your enamel, which is why parents are advised to use pea-sized fluoridated toothpaste on their children at a time. Check with a reliable orthodontist in Montreal for the right brand of toothpaste and guidance on usage.
Brush and floss
You can start brushing your kid’s teeth just as soon as the baby teeth erupt. For children below 12 months, consider using a soft washcloth instead of an actual toothbrush. Do it at least twice every day, preferably before bed and after breakfast, until they are 24 months old. Above this age, a toothbrush and even fluoridated toothpaste can be used. Begin flossing your kid’s teeth the moment they start touching each other.
Maintain a healthy diet
Preventing build-up of stubborn stains instead of trying to scour them off is an easier and cheaper way to maintain the whiteness of their teeth and protect the enamel from eroding. Try a balanced diet and limit their juice intake to just once a day, preferably after dinner and before brushing their teeth. Sugary drinks should also be off the menu. As regards fruits, pediatric dentists recommend your child chews rather than drinks them.
Schedule regular teeth cleaning sessions
Teeth cleaning is a short procedure performed at the dentist’s or oral hygienist’s office, usually in a single appointment. You should consider scheduling biannual dental visits for your child so that they can have their teeth cleaned and examined. Teeth cleaning helps remove layers of plaque and tartar that sit on the surface of teeth and under the gum line.
Depending on the age of the child, an electric toothbrush together with gritty toothpaste may be used to get rid of the often-hardened substances. It should be noted that professional teeth cleaning and dental exams are not a substitute for at-home brushing and flossing. Instead, they make for a complimentary routine that should pick from where you left with your toothbrush and toothpaste.
Look to the future
Studies show that children who attain the age of nine without developing cavities are 90% likely never to have a filling later in their life. That said, children who do not brush their teeth before going to bed are four times more prone to require fillers than those who brush before sleeping, regardless of their oral health history before nine. A good oral hygiene regimen is thus a constant that sits at the center of both a bright smile and a healthy mouth.