Start Early

The earlier you get your children used to oral care, the more readily they’ll accept this habit. You can begin brushing your child’s teeth as soon as they have teeth. Prior to this, wiping their mouth with a clean cloth will suffice. And you can begin flossing as soon as your child has two teeth that touch. These habits will get your little one used to care before they’re able to do it themselves!

Have them Teach a Sibling

Many kids love teaching other kids how to do things. After your oldest has learned how to properly brush their teeth, have them show their little brother or sister. This will encourage them both to brush their teeth, floss, and show their healthy smiles to mom and dad before school or bedtime!

Make Brushing Time Fun

If your child is resistant to brushing, you have lots of options for making this time more creative and fun. Here’s how you can teach your child that brushing doesn’t have to feel boring or unnecessary!

 Listen to a two-minute song. Encouraging kids to brush for at least two minutes can feel like an eternity, depending on how young your child is. To make the time go by, listen to a favorite song that’s about two minutes and brush together the entire time!

 Use a reward system. In the event that brushing is a really trying time in your house, try a reward system. Create a chart and give your kids stickers or tokens every time they brush their teeth and floss. When the tokens add up, they get a prize!

 Consider apps to track progress. There are many apps that can help your kids see just how well they’re doing with their oral care. There are even toothbrushes that you can sync with your phone that shows you where you’re missing spots!

Be Familiar with the Family Dentist

Trust your kids to brush well, but always check their progress. An important part of doing this is through regular checkups with your family dentist. The earlier your kids see the dentist, the more comfortable they’ll be when they go for checkups. They’ll learn the dentist is friendly and fun, not scary and painful. Your dentist can also assess your child’s oral health and tell you what needs to improve as well as what he or she is doing well.

Teaching your kids about how important oral health is can feel like a long process. Start early to help ease the transition into self care. Have them teach their little brother or sister how to brush their teeth. Make brushing time fun when things get tough and as always, visit your dentist to ensure your child’s smile is as healthy as possible!

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Why Are People Afraid of the Dentist?

Most people who are afraid of the dentist have a specific reason for it. It can spring from any number of

issues such as:

– A bad experience

– Anxiety disorders

– Substance abuse

– PTSD

– Victims of abuse

While a bad personal experience is the most commonly cited reason for fear of the dentist, all of the other issues come down to the same thing – fear of not being in control. When the dentist has his or her hands in your mouth, you can’t even really say if something is wrong. For many, that sparks feelings of anxiety. However, dentists are working hard to change the perception of the oral care industry.

Treatment Options for Those with Fears

Seeing your dentist is very important to the health of your teeth and your overall health (since dental problems can quickly affect other parts of the body). What are some of the ways that dentists are encouraging fearful patients to get back in the chair for important cleanings and checkups?

New Technology – New technology is making the dental experience far better. Patients may experience little to no pain at all, even if there is a problem that needs to be corrected. Cleanings are often performed with ultrasonic solutions and actual scaling with metal tools is kept to a minimum.

Sedation Dentistry – You only need to be coherent enough to get in the chair and agree to any procedures that are necessary. Then you can be giving anything from pharmacological agents that keep you relaxed to ones that ensure you barely remember being in the chair at all. Sedation methods include everything from topical numbing agents to complete sedation.

The fact is that even if you had a bad experience in the past, going to the dentist is very different than it used to be. Even patients who aren’t afraid of the dentist are having better experiences simply because hygienists and dentists are trained to use painless technology. Yes, even the tens of millions who fear to be in a dentist’s chair have new options allowing them to keep their teeth professionally cleaned with no need for anxiety.

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