How to Teach Kids to Care for their Teeth

It is important for parents to teach their children about proper dental care as well as dental hygiene in order to provide them with a lasting good oral health. Proper care of the teeth starts from the sight of the first tooth. Thus, it is necessary to bring the young ones to the dentist for cleaning and other routine procedures as soon as this happens....

It is important for parents to teach their children about proper dental care as well as dental hygiene in order to provide them with a lasting good oral health. Proper care of the teeth starts from the sight of the first tooth. Thus, it is necessary to bring the young ones to the dentist for cleaning and other routine procedures as soon as this happens. When teaching dental health care to kids, you must put emphasis on the importance of healthy gums and teeth by means of being a good role model as well as keeping good dental habits.
Teaching your kids on how to properly take care of their teeth is easy. You will only need the necessary materials in brushing your teeth such as a toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss. In addition to these, make use of a calendar and some stickers. Then, follow these steps below in order to successfully teach your kids how to care for their teeth.
1.First, start to brush the teeth of your kids as soon as they grow their first tooth, which is during the 12th and 18th months. You have to specially keep your mind on the molars in order to remove any food particles.
2.Then, begin flossing the teeth of your kids when they reach 1 or 2 years old, or when two teeth start to have contact with each other.
3.Introduce the toothpaste which has fluoride at the age of 3 and demonstrate to your child how to spit the toothpaste out by burbling the water in your mouth then spiting it out.
4.With proper supervision, let your kids brush their teeth at the age of 4.
5.Demonstrate the technique on proper tooth-brushing by showing them how to brush up and down and using circular strokes on the gum line.
6.Regularly give your child encouragement to brush their teeth thoroughly by going over every corner of their mouths from front to back and side by side.
7.Make brushing the teeth of your child a daily habit every after meal.
8.Check the teeth of your kid after they brush their teeth in order to make sure that no food particles are left in spots that are difficult to reach.
Some dentists recommend that you supervise your children when brushing their teeth until they are 8 years of age. They also encourage healthy eating habits such as avoiding foods that lack proper nutrients in order to prevent cavity formation. Healthy eating habits also provide young ones with healthier gums and stronger teeth. It also helps to let your child select flavourful toothpaste that they like in order to make dental hygiene more interesting.
Let them also select their toothbrush that is easier for them to control. Using a reward system, like placing stickers on the calendar, is also effective to keep them interested in flossing and brushing. However, setting a good example of flossing and brushing on a regular basis and keeping appointments with your dentist are the best ways to teach your kids.