Being a mom sure means lots of extra things you have to teach your children. Many times I hear of children who have problems with their teeth and their hygiene. With my little one I want him to have a healthy smile through out his whole life and the only way to do that is to teach him proper habits at a very early age.
Here are the top 5 things I think you can do to help your child have pearly whites:
1: Teach a healthy habit of brushing every morning and night! Sometime this is easier said than done. As moms we can get super busy running kids around, car pooling, and just keeping up with the family. A great way that I have found to keep us on track in the brushing department is hanging a chart we made on the back of the bathroom door. Everytime my little guy brushes his teeth he gets a sticker to place in the appropriate spot. He gets very excited and I told him when his chart is full he gets a very special surprise. In which will be a date with mommy, or an outing with dad.
2: Easy on the sugars! Help your children make smart choices like fruits and veggies at snack time! I know sometimes it is hard to steer completely clear of sugars in the cupboard but limiting these will still go along way. For instance if you chew gum why not introduce your kids to Trident sugar-free gum. Did you know that Chewing Trident sugar free gum for 20 minutes after a meal can help fight cavities. It can!
3: Visit the dentist every 6 months! Proper visits to the dentist are vital in your childs oral hygiene. Make sure you introduce them to the dentist at around age one and then regularly go. Then there will be no reason for your child to be scared of the Dentist. Plus you will be sure to keep up on their teeth health and catch any problems like cavities before they become “My tooth hurts” problems!
4: Introduce flossing at the age they understand and can do it themselves! I have to say first off I am awful at this step. I am a very structured brusher but when it comes to flossing I fail in this department. Recently I picked up some of the flossing picks at my drug store and I have to say that I love them. I keep them in a jar on the counter where we all see them and are reminded to use them regularly.
5: Teach them the importance of having a healthy smile! If our kids don’t understand why they need to brush there teeth then why will they want to take care of them.
