Dentistry is more than just for adults. Family dentistry means taking care of everyone’s teeth, even young children. Even though their baby teeth will fall out, this time is crucial. If you develop good habits today, your children are much more likely to have great dental health later on.
Call our Butte, MT dental office today at 406-565-4458 to schedule your next family dentistry appointment.
Why Your Kids Need Great Dental Habits
As a parent, you are supposed to raise your kids right. That can mean a lot of things, but one of those is to help your kids grow up and live a good life without you needing to remind them. After all, you can’t always be there.
That includes giving your kids the right dental habits. It’s not enough to tell them how to brush and to not eat so much candy. Your children need to be able to make the right decisions on their own. That means making a habit out of things that protect their teeth.
But habits just don’t start. They have to be understood first, then practiced until it becomes a habit. When working with your kids, be sure to do both. Explain why the tips below are important for their teeth and gums. Then help the kids follow through repeatedly. Eventually, these can turn into great dental habits that can last their whole lives.
Getting Those Dental Habits Started
1. Serve plain water with every meal and snack by default.
Many drinks (especially those marketed to kids) are full of sugar. That’s one reason why water is so much better for your kids. But it’s more than just not having sugar. Saliva washes away sugar and other food particles that get stuck to teeth. By serving water as the default drink, your kids will be more likely to see water as the natural drink of choice when they eat.
2. Bring your kids to the store so they can pick out their toothbrush.
Kids are still growing up mentally as well as physically. That’s why they can’t make a lot of decisions for themselves. Many kids go through most of their day without much in the way of choices. You can take advantage of that fact by letting your kids pick out their own toothbrushes. If they are given a choice, they are more likely to use it — and more likely to have that develop into a great dental habit.
3. Make your dental exam right next to your children’s appointments.
To a child, even the best dental office in the world can be intimidating. That’s because it’s full of strangers, noises, and weird equipment. Dr. Brennick is very good with children, but what can turn this into a nice habit is when you come for your appointment right along with theirs.
If your kids see you getting a dental exam, they’re more likely to believe dental exams are just what you do when you grow up.
4. Treat diet soda and fruit juice as desserts.
If you try banning all sweets, you could end up making those sound even more tempting. That’s why it’s a good idea to let your kids have something sweet every now and then. It gives them the habit of only saying yes every now and then.
That’s why you need to treat both diet soda and fruit juices as desserts. Fruit juice is full of sugar, and while diet soda has none, it does have a lot of acid. Plus, it tastes sweet.
5. Let your children see that you brush and floss as well.
Kids are often trying to grow up. That’s why so many like to play dress up, pretend they’re on the phone, and more. This is another thing you can use to instill those great dental habits. If your kids never see you brush or floss, they can assume that’s just for kids. After all, you’re not doing it! That’s why it’s a good idea to let them see that you brush and floss just like you tell them to do.
Call us TODAY at 406-565-4458 or use our convenient online form to schedule your next appointment for family dentistry. Dr. Brennick is your Butte dentist who’s experienced with working with kids of all ages.
Children need help to know what’s healthy or not. By following these tips, they can grow up knowing just how to take care of their smiles.