Are you a parent who worries about your children’s oral health? If so, you aren’t alone. Many parents want to make sure that they are doing all that they can to take care of their children’s dental health. The good news is that there are now products like dental cleaning kits, kid friendly toothbrushes, and tasty toothpastes that can really motivate kids to find brushing and flossing fun! Below are a few reminders that should help parents like you take care of your children’s teeth:
1. The First Dentist Appointment – A lot of parents want to know when to schedule their child’s first dentist appointment. According to the American Dental Association you should aim to make this appointment within 6 months after your child’s first tooth appears. It may seem silly to make an appointment for just 1 tooth, but it’s important to start off on the right foot with oral health. When your little one’s first tooth appears, start thinking about finding a great local dentist for their first appointment!
2. Brushing and Flossing – With kids it is sometimes extremely difficult to teach them the importance of brushing and flossing, especially at a young age. With new and innovative tools like dental cleaning kits for children that teaching moment can be made easier. Parents should aim to start flossing their children’s teeth as soon as they have two teeth that touch one another. Remember – brushing only cleans 70% of your teeth, and flossing takes care of the other 30%.
3. Adolescent Reminders – Just as with other areas of personal hygiene, sometimes brushing and flossing take a back seat when kids hit their teenage years. In fact, statistics show that of all adolescents between 12-19 years old, 20% have untreated decay. I think we can all agree that that’s a pretty huge number. Dental cleaning kits are also great for adolescents and can be geared for various ages and genders. Sometimes it just takes having something easily explained and put in front of a teen for them to have the importance click.
Whether your children are just now teething for the first time, or are on their way out of high school and into college you want their oral health to remain a priority for them. Finding ways to make brushing and flossing fun is a great way to start. As your dentist about dental care products that they may offer or where to find some that they don’t. You’ll be glad you did!