4 Tips from a Pediatric Dentist to Improve Your Child’s Oral Hygiene

A pediatric dentist work with parents to help them instill good oral health habits in their children. This review offers tips from a pediatric dentist as to how parents can help their child with their oral hygiene to reduce the risk of cavities, gum disease, and other common oral health concerns.

4 Ways to improve your child’s oral hygiene, from a pediatric dentist

You can help your child with their oral hygiene by discussing good oral care with them, supervising while they brush and floss, limiting their consumption of sugar, and visiting the pediatric dentist for regular check-ups and cleaning visits. This can reduce the need for more invasive and expensive treatments later on.

1. Talk to your child about oral hygiene

Good oral hygiene at a young age can help establish healthy habits that carry over into the child's teenage and adult years. To help them establish quality oral hygiene habits, discuss good oral hygiene practices with them. This includes insights into the proper way and amount of time to brush, how to floss (and the importance of flossing), and how their decisions on what to eat and drink can influence their teeth and gum health. While it may take some time for them to understand exactly what it all means, informing them at a young age can only help their oral hygiene once they become more independent.

2. Help your child with their brushing routine

The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends monitoring your child’s brushing routine if they are under the age of six. They can begin brushing on their own as soon as they develop the skills necessary to do so at a very young age, but they are likely to skip out on doing so properly if they can get away with doing so. However, simply being in the area and encouraging them can go a long way.

3. Limit how much sugar they consume

Sugar has a negative impact on oral health, and kids often consume excessively sweet foods, which increases the risk of childhood gum disease and cavities. While rewarding your child with ice cream is certainly fine once in a while, monitoring how much sugar they consume and helping them care for their oral health after doing so is a good idea.

4. Schedule regular check-up visits with a pediatric dentist

Pediatric dentists recommend parents bring their child in for a check-up and cleaning visit every four to six months. This reduces the risk of needing restorative dentistry services and can make caring for teeth at home more effective.

Ready to set up an appointment?

If it has been more than six months since your child's last check-up and cleaning, then we encourage you to schedule a visit with our pediatric dentistry. We offer a range of services and can put together a plan to help your child prevent the development of cavities and other oral health concerns.

Request an appointment here: https://www.kingdentistry.com or call King Dentistry at (209) 585-1474 for an appointment in our Turlock office.

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