Have you felt or seen that first tooth popping through your baby’s gums? If your child is one year old or older, you can accompany your child down the path toward healthy teeth and gums by teaching and practicing healthy oral hygiene habits. Our South Windsor kids & community deserves the best oral health care, which is why at Grillo Dental, we offer comprehensive dentistry under one roof and have everything your children need. Here are a few tips that we’d like to pass along.
Healthy Snacks
Healthy snacks not only pave the way toward proper nutrition for your child, but by providing healthy snacks, your child also develops habits that promote healthy oral hygiene. Crunchy snacks such as vegetables, fruits, and nuts help to massage gums and scrape away bacteria. Apple’s thick skins, for example, scrub your child’s teeth and gums. Clean teeth are less susceptible to cavities. Providing your child a crunchy food to chomp also stimulates saliva production, which naturally cleans your child’s teeth by removing food particles and prevent the build-up of bacteria. When your child bites down on other crunchy items such as carrots, celery, or nuts, it helps to their teeth and mouth clean!
Your children are active & seem to have endless energy! Keeping children hydrated is another way that a healthy diet keeps teeth healthy. Rather than grabbing a sports drink or juice box, provide ample water to your children. Water helps keep mouths clean by swishing out food debris. Water contains no sugar, which means less chance of your children’s teeth, forming cavities.
Oral Hygiene
Children who are six years of age or older can begin to practice healthy oral habits. Encourage your children to brush their teeth twice daily. Helping your child to choose a colorful or theme toothbrush with soft bristles will make brushing their teeth fun! Provide fluoride-rich toothpaste and have your little choose a flavor they might enjoy. Take care with young children that they do not swallow excessive amounts of toothpaste.
Flossing your child’s teeth once daily removes food debris from difficult to reach areas and near the gums. Regularly flossing helps your child’s teeth to steer clear of cavities- try turning it into a game!
A fluoride enriched mouthwash is an excellent addition to your child’s oral hygiene routine to help prevent tooth decay. Children enjoy sloshing mouthwash through their mouth and spitting it into the sink.
Pediatric Dental Care in South Windsor
At Grillo Dental, we are happy to help you learn the best oral hygiene habits for your children. Routine exams and cleanings with our dentist should be scheduled every six months. Call us today so we can get your family started on the path to excellent oral health.