Its that time of year again! If your children dread
dental care both at home and at the family dentist, there are a few tricks
to keep them interested in maintaining clean teeth.
Establish An Oral Health Routine
One of the best ways to encourage kids to fit in brushing and
flossing after the return to school is to develop a teeth cleaning routine.
Designate specific times in the morning and evening for your children to brush
and floss. Make them aware that failing to brush and floss on a regular basis
will leave deposits of plaque and a sticky film of bacteria and food particles on and around the teeth that can cause cavities and gingivitis.
Twenty-five percent of children under the age of five already have cavities.
Oftentimes, it helps for the parent to participate in these
activities with his or her children. Kids will be much more enthusiastic about
oral health care if their parents are brushing and flossing right alongside
them. Cleaning your teeth in the presence of your children will also reinforce
proper brushing and flossing techniques. You'll be able to spot their
inefficiencies and teach them how to properly clean their teeth instead of
waiting for them to be told by the family dentist.
Proper Flossing Technique
Focus on showing your children the proper steps in maintaining
oral care. Each evening, your children should thoroughly floss with a very long string of floss. You might even want to encourage them to use
two pieces of floss, one for the bottom teeth and one for the top teeth. This
way, they won't run the risk of transferring bits of food and plaque from one
tooth or gum area to another. Always reinforce that they should never use the
same part of the floss to clean between their teeth.
Rinsing and Brushing
After flossing, kids should clean their mouths with mouthwash or water to remove even more food particles. Rinsing after flossing also
helps the teeth retain fluoride that is necessary for dental health. After
rinsing, the kids should then move on to brushing. Teach them to brush all the
way to where the teeth meet the gums. This should be performed in small
circular motions and at a 45-degree angle.
Cleaning the Tongue
The final part of the daily oral care process is the scraping of
the tongue with a tongue scraper or with their toothbrush. Don't just tell your kids to do it. Explain
to them how important a tongue scraper is. It will remove bacteria on the
tongue and will also help to prevent bad breath.
These guidelines have been suggested in different order from different people. In the end, all that matters is that each step is done in whatever order recommended for your child's optimal dental health. For more personal instructions for your child's oral care routine or to schedule an appointment, give us a call at 281-646-8888 or request an appointment online!
Friendly and quick. For a person who hated going to the dentist I am not dreading my next cleaning!
ReplyDeletebest root canal treatment in chennai