Did you know that maintaining your babies’ oral care is just as import as your own? Like adults, even small children can develop gum disease, halitosis, infections, and tooth loss if there gums aren’t properly cared for. Scientific research is telling us the importance of setting good and healthy examples for our children and oral health is no exception. As a parent you want the best health for your baby. With these simple steps you can start them out in the right direction.

Here are a few simple suggestions on how to practice good oral hygiene with your children:

·         You can start out with easy steps such as, cleaning out an infant’s mouth after feedings and before bedtime with gauze or a wet wash cloth.

·         Never put your baby to bed with a bottle.  Research shows that this is bad for newly developing teeth and can also be conducive to ear infections.

·         Start brushing your baby’s teeth with a soft bristled baby toothbrush. They offer a wide variety of toothbrushes and gum massagers for infants and kids.

·         Ask your pediatric dentist about sealants, this is a protective covering that covers the teeth and is primarily used on molars.

·         Take your child to the dentist by the time they reach one year old. Check ups are key in prevention.

·         Limit your child’s snacks; make sure that they are healthy and low in sugar.

·         Supervise your children’s brushing until they are 8. Make it fun and do it together.

·         Remember to change their toothbrush every 3 months, to prevent the build-up of harmful bacteria.

·         Teach them to use a pea-sized amount of toothpaste and that they should never swallow! It is also important for them to learn to rinse their mouth when they are done.

·         Once your child’s teeth come in together and touch, have them start flossing. You’ll have to be a part of this until they have it down.

·         Remind them to brush twice a day in the morning and before bed. Make this a family habit!

·         Just like us, your little one needs to go to the dentist every six months.

·         The best way to teach your children is to lead by example. If they see you keep good care of your teeth there’s a pretty good chance they will too!

 

Smile Warehouse offers a wide variety of children’s dental care accessories such as the Infadent soft finger toothbrush and gum massager which is great for removing plaque while gently cleaning your baby’s gums and teeth. For bigger kids we offer the Dental Elite small youth toothbrush with an extra thick handle that has non-slip protection as well as the Dental Elite bear brush also with a no slip-grip handle. As for toothpaste, we carry the Biotene First Teeth baby toothpaste which comes in a tasty apple banana flavor. This is an all natural toothpaste that is fluoride free, has no artificial sweeteners or preservatives. We also carry the Sensodyne Pro Enamel daily fluoride toothpaste in a gentle mint flavor which is specifically designed to help protect enamel from acid wear and cavities.

 

This entry was posted on Tuesday, July 7th, 2009 at 3:05 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.