Having a family who has strong and healthy teeth is such a satisfying thing. Aside from an awesome smile, they could chew their food well and benefit from the nutrition. Chewing the food well helps the digestive system. The secret here is to teach your family good dental hygiene. If you hadn’t yet, now is the time to start. Prevention is better than cure, as the adage say.
Here are some helpful tips to keep your family’s teeth and gums healthy.
- Begin teaching your kids at an early age as they could develop tooth decay even before they start school. Begin at the age of six months old when teeth starts growing. Of course they cannot take care of their teeth yet, but you could. Wipe the teeth with a moisten cloth or use a soft tooth brush for babies. At the age of 2, teach them how to brush their teeth and make sure you guide your child. In time, they will be able to do it by themselves.
- Seal the problem tooth! Soon as the permanent molars appear at around 6-years-old, you should bring your child to the dentist to apply a thin sealant to protect the molars from tooth decay. Check this out with your dentist.
- Use enough fluoride. It intensifies enamel to prevent tooth decay. It is a good idea to have fluoride in your water as well. Ask your dentist if he could apply fluoride on the teeth of every member of your family. Remember, too much is not good too.
- Brush and floss. Make sure everybody in the family brushes their teeth at least twice a day for at least 2 to 3 minutes per brushing in an up and down circular motion. Do not forget to floss on a daily basis. This will prevent gum disease. There are other things you should look out for like:
All toothbrushes from the youngest to the eldest member of your family should change their brushes 3 to 4 times a year. Likewise when it has faded and the bristles are too bent it could no longer do the job. If you have a member that has braces make sure that he or she uses a special toothbrush and whatever else it uses to make the teeth cleaner. Ask your orthodontist about it.
- Ditch the manual. If your mother or father, even yourself has arthritis, it could be difficult to hold a toothbrush more so, floss their teeth. Hence, the use of an electric toothbrush could make brushing a lot easier.
- Teach the basic technique in brushing. Make sure the brush is at 45 degree angle to the gum line. Use an up and down circular motion and make sure you reach at least 2 millimeters below the gum line to clean the bacteria sitting on it.
- Visit your dentist regularly. Twice a month is good to check for any plaque build-up. Make sure you likewise watch out for signs of oral cancer, bruxism, gum disease, effect of medication that could cause dry mouth. Algodones Dentist is a family-friendly dental clinic. If you want to schedule the whole family, feel free to do so. Do not hesitate to bring the entire family at 45 Capri Blvd, Lake Havasu City, Arizona.