Dental Health Tips for Kids

As a parent, you have a responsibility to teach your child how they can achieve and maintain good dental health. In this blog post, we suggest some dental health tips for kids!

1. Keep Up with At-Home Oral Hygiene

It’s important for kids to practice good oral hygiene every single day. This means that your child should be brushing their teeth for two minutes each time they brush, at least once in the morning and again before they go to bed. Teach them to gently brush the entire two minutes with a soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoridated toothpaste. We recommend investing in a child-friendly electric toothbrush, which takes over much of the “hard work” of brushing. They also need to daily brush their tongue and floss to dislodge plaque and food particles from between their teeth and from under their gumline.

2. Visit the Dentist Every Six Months

The American Dental Association recommends that kids (and adults) get routine checkups and cleanings every six months in addition to taking care of their teeth every day. At Sunshine Pediatric Dentistry, our expert team can deep clean your child’s teeth and gums, check for issues like decay and gum disease, and suggest tips to improve your child’s dental health.

3. Get Plenty of Fluoride

Fluoride is a naturally-occurring mineral that helps fortify teeth against erosion and decay, along with calcium and phosphorus. By absorbing into the crystalline mineral structure of tooth enamel, these minerals help harden developing teeth that have not yet emerged, in addition to strengthening those that have already erupted through a process called remineralization. Your child can expose their teeth to enough fluoride by brushing with fluoridated toothpaste, drinking fluoridated tap water, and getting fluoride treatments at our office.

4. Eat a Healthy Diet

The bacteria in your child’s mouth feed upon their dietary sugar and produce enamel-destroying acids, which can lead to enamel destruction, cavities, and serious dental health issues. Make sure your child is eating a balanced diet of nutritious foods low in sugar and high in vitamins, minerals, calcium, protein, and fiber. Great options include carrots, broccoli, sweet potatoes, apples, blueberries, leafy greens, nuts, low-sugar yogurt, cheese, fish, and whole grains.