It is not uncommon for parents to wonder if it’s worth the hassle to get small children to brush their teeth. Baby teeth just fall out anyway, right? Why spend all that time wrestling with your children to get them to brush teeth that will eventually be replaced? Because not doing so places your child at risk for discomfort, irregular adult tooth development, and a lifetime of oral health problems.
Baby teeth serve a number of functions. When a baby tooth becomes infected or develops cavities, extraction is often needed. The removal of these teeth, however necessary, can impact speaking ability, make eating more difficult, and even prevent adult teeth from coming in correctly. What’s more, failure to establish good dental habits early on can result in poor oral hygiene habits as time passes. An inadequate oral hygiene routine as an adult can result in gum disease, tooth infection, and eventual tooth loss. Providing your children with a solid foundation while caring for baby teeth is an excellent way to help prevent these and more serious issues as your child grows.
Caring for Baby Teeth
You can start brushing your child’s teeth as soon as the first one appears. Using a toothbrush designed for infants and a non-fluoride toothpaste, these early brushings get your child used to the feeling of brushing teeth. As your child ages, you can begin to teach him or her how to brush their own teeth, though adult supervision should continue until your child is old enough to brush without assistance. Just like adults, children need to bush their teeth after every meal and snack.
In addition to teaching your children to brush at these intervals, be sure to do so yourself. Setting an example is often more effective than simply providing instruction.
Flossing is also a good thing to teach your children early on. As is the maintaining of biannual pediatric dentistry visits with Dr. Sanaz Khavari. During your next visit with our Houston family dentist, we can provide you with the tools you need to help your child establish a good daily habit and help ensure you are prepared to help your entire family enjoy a lifetime of healthy teeth and gums.
To schedule your next appointment at our Houston family dentistry practice, please contact Love Brushing Dentistry today. Dr. Khavari and our team welcome parents and children of all ages living in Katy, Sugar Land, The Woodlands, and surrounding areas of Texas.
