During their life, your child will grow their primary teeth, shed them, and get their permanent in. In total, your child will have grown 20 primary teeth and 32 permanent teeth in their lifetime—that’s a lot of teeth!
Since teeth play an instrumental role in your child’s speech development, ability to chew properly, and even their self-confidence, it’s essential to keep their teeth healthy. What’s the best way to keep your child’s teeth healthy as they grow?
Encourage Good Oral Hygiene From an Early Age
Encourage good oral hygiene from an early age when it comes to kids. As soon as your child has their first baby tooth, you can begin to gently brush the tooth, and as soon as they have two teeth that touch, you can floss. Even before your child has teeth, you can wipe their mouth after each feeding.
Schedule your child’s first dentist appointment when they get their first tooth in [1]. This allows your dentist to ensure your child’s teeth are healthy and developing properly. It also gets your child used to the dentist early so they can experience less stress about dental check-ups as they get older.
Make teeth cleaning and oral care a priority in your home. Have a scheduled time for tooth brushing and flossing in the morning and at night. Model good behavior for your kids by going to the dentist yourself and taking good care of your teeth. Soon, your children will be old enough brush and floss their teeth on their own!
Provide a Healthy Diet
Just like the rest of their bodies, children’s teeth need nutrients to grow strong and stay healthy. Nutrient-rich foods such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and healthy proteins—think beans, nuts, fish, eggs, and lean meats—can help support a healthy smile as your child grows [2].
Although sugar is present in most processed foods, especially snacks or products marketed for children, added sugar has been shown to cause tooth decay in children, particularly sugar- sweetened beverages such as soda and sports drinks [3]. Minimizing your child’s sugar intake can help protect their bodies as well as their developing teeth. There are plenty of healthy snack options to consider instead of sugar, so get creative and explore new foods to see what your child likes!
See Your Child’s Dentist Regularly
One of the best things you can do for your child’s smile is to schedule regular dental appointments for them, about two per year. Regular checkups and cleanings can not only help prevent tooth decay, but can show your child how important oral health is and set up healthy habits for a lifetime.
Your child’s dentist can also identify oral health problems early, such as developing tooth decay, gum inflammation, or misaligned teeth, so that you have the opportunity for early intervention to minimize their treatment and keep their smile as healthy as possible.
How Healthy Is Your Child’s Smile?
Do you know how healthy your child’s teeth and gums are? Don’t wait to book an appointment with your child’s dentist to get their teeth cleaned and ensure they are cavity-free to encourage good oral health!
Sources:
1. https://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/babies-and-kids/first-dental-visit
2. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/kids-healthy-eating-plate/
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6242348/
