Teaching your child good oral health habit can be a big piece of work.
It takes patience and tricks to make them learn anything.
20% of children under the age of 11 have dental problems.
Either their teeth are decaying or has already decayed and is left untreated.
The reason is simple, they are not keeping their gums and teeth healthy.
Children love to eat junk food, especially sweets and sugary material.
Sugar is the main cause of dental problems.
The situation gets worse when they don’t even keep their mouth clean.
According to professionals, a person should brush twice a day for 2 minutes.
This is applicable for both adults and children.
However, children rarely follow this rule. It is hard to make them stand at a place and do the job.
They are always full of energy and out of patience.
Not taking care of your mouth also leads to foul smell. In other words, when your child will meet his/her friends, they will be isolated for this reason. Ultimately, it will affect the child’s mental health.
It is much more serious than it seems to be.
We often ignore these little incidents that affect our children in a far greater way.
Now, it becomes ever so important to take care of your child’s oral health.
So, in a situation like this, what should a parent do? You need to take the lead.
You need to teach them, make them enthusiasts and interested in their oral care habit.
Else, it won’t be long that your child will lose her/his teeth.
Here are some tips you can try to make your child follow good oral health habits:
Start now!
As it is said, “teach them young.”
No matter if your child is just a toddler.
Even if s/he hasn’t developed single teeth yet, you can use soft clothe to gently clean their gums.
Toddlers are fed liquid mostly.
This is the time, they begin to eat solid food little by little.
And we all know that children watch, learn and grow.
If you make them realize from the very beginning that they need to clean their mouth regularly, they will adapt to it as a necessity of life.
It will become a reflex to keep their teeth, gums, and overall mouth clean.
Later, when they develop teeth, teach them to floss.
If you make cleaning the mouth as important as sleeping, eating and playing, they will unconsciously do it.
Be creative
Creativity and art attracts children. Use this wisely.
You can make brushing time a fun time for them.
You can do this by using multiple tools present in the market.
Let your child have a toothpaste flavor they would prefer.
Children usually don’t like the normal minty taste of toothpaste.
It can be hard and sensitive for them.
This is why there are multiple toothpaste flavors present for them in the market. Let them pick their favorite fruit flavor.
Strawberry can be a good go for your child.
There are fun toothbrushes out there as well.
Give your child a toothbrush that mimics the shape of their favorite animal, or maybe a panda toothbrush will be just the right thing.
You can also be educational with them.
Teach them the benefits and importance of oral hygiene.
Tell them why it is important to brush daily and what will happen if they do not brush their teeth.
Singing a song, dancing grooving while brushing or having a brush-time song might excite your child.
You can use different types of tactics or try to be creative with your child.
After all, the goal is to make your child adapt to the act and maintain the healthy habit.
Be the example
You are a homework that your child loves to copy.
Children always want to be like their parents, they are eager to mimic them.
It makes them feel grown up.
If you maintain the good habit of keeping your teeth and gums healthy, they will follow your footsteps.
A great way to commence it is by sharing your brush time.
Brush your teeth at the same time your child does (if it is convenient).
This way, they will directly watch you and learn.
Just show them how much you are enjoying it.
They will surely want to mimic you.
Also Read: Hospitalized Covid-19 Patients Have Long-Haul Symptoms
Keep the junk foods at bay
Processed food will rot your child’s teeth.
Children are extremely fond of chocolates and candies.
Needless to say, they love to eat junk food.
This is the main reason that they develop cavities so early.
Teach them to eat healthy food.
Make them enjoy fruits.
You cannot keep processed food away from your child for long. It is a fact.
But you can try to minimize the consumption.
This is a place where parents need to be strict, and it’s necessary.
You don’t want to run with your child to the dentist every time s/he suffers from dental pain.
Rewards
Encourage them to carry on the work.
Reward works wonder in this place.
When your child shows the signs of improvement in their oral care habit, tell them that they are doing great and that they should carry on.
Tell them how happy you are to see them grow like an adult and do the right job.
Children like to please their parents and see them happy.
Lastly, you can even try to give them some real rewards such as a golden star batch or give them something yummy but healthy to eat.
Regular visit to the dentist
You must get a regular dental check up by your pediatrician dentist.
This will help you keep a record of your child’s oral health and also help you identify any dental issue at an early age.
The bottom line
Teaching children to keep their teeth and gum healthy can be a tedious and tough work.
Children are hard to teach, especially when they are just toddlers.
However, this is the time that you need to show them the importance of good oral habit.
You can use different methods and tricks to make them understand the importance and benefits of healthy teeth.
Teaching them at early age and being creative with their oral hygiene time can be a good way to go.
Further Reading:
