Creating Good Hygiene Habits at Home

As humans, we like having a clean mouth. Long ago people would chew tree twigs to spread the fibers, which acted like bristles to clean their teeth. 

In fact, the ancient Greeks used pumice, talc, alabaster, coral powder, or iron rust as toothpaste. Thankfully today, we have many more effective choices that yield fantastic results and fresh mouths.

Here are some simple guidelines you can implement in your home:

1. Start oral hygiene habits early. It's never too early to make brushing and flossing a part of their morning and nightly routines. 
2. Set a good example. Brushing with your children can allow them to see proper techniques, and allow you to know if they are "cutting corners". 
3. Turn toothbrushing into a game. Having charts and fun incentives to encourage proper brushing and flossing can increase children's desires. 
4. Tell a story. There are really fun dental apps that you can download that have stories or songs set to the optimal brushing time. This helps them learn the proper length of a brushing session.
5. Choose the right tools. Letting your children be part of the oral hygiene process makes a huge difference in their willingness to brush and floss. Make a big deal out of their ability to choose their new toothbrush and toothpaste.
6. Flossers are a great way to help children learn how to floss themselves. Flossing is a critical step in preventing cavities.

Children's Brushing Chart

          February is National Children's Dental Health Month

This is a fun brushing chart you can print out and use with your family throughout the month of February. Set up a fun reward at the end of the month for all of their diligence and hard work.

Printable Sources: https://www.ada.org/en/public-programs/national-childrens-dental-health-month

Oral Healthcare is Not Puzzling!

 

February is National Children's Dental Health Month

Take a few minutes to sit down with your children to fill in the blanks of this crossword puzzle. Joining together to create a fun memory will also provide a great teaching moment for your kids. 

Oral healthcare habits are critical to their present and future health. Teaching good habits now will help them take ownership over their own health. 

Printable Sources: https://www.ada.org/en/public-programs/national-childrens-dental-health-month

Timing is Everything!

 

If You Indulge, Do It During Mealtime

Don’t worry, we don’t expect you or your child to never eat sweets or starches. There is a better time to eat them than at snack time, however, and that is during meals! That’s because it’s not just important what you eat, but when you eat. At mealtime, there is an increased amount of saliva in the mouth that can help wash away those starches or sugary treats, counteract acid-producing bacteria and remineralize teeth.

Watch Out For Added Sugars

Almost all foods have some type of sugar in them. Naturally occurring sugars–like those found in milk and vegetables–are less worrisome, since these choices are healthy overall. What you want to keep an eye out for when choosing snacks are added sugars.

According to the American Dental Association, added sugar consumption should be limited to less than 10 percent of total energy intake, ideally less than five percent. To put things in perspective, one can of soda is equivalent to three times the daily recommended sugar intake of a child!

Choose Beverages Wisely

On that note, we’d like to advise parents to choose their children’s beverages wisely. Soda and juice may be your child’s preferred drinks, but milk and water are much healthier choices. Good sources of calcium, like milk, aid in building strong teeth and bones and water helps to wash away food particles that may be clinging to teeth, thus protecting against decay.

Source: https://hanoverdentistry.com/2016/08/23/snacking-tips-to-keep-your-childs-smile-health/#:~:text=Stay%20away%20from%20starchy%2C%20sticky,%2C%20nuts%2C%20yogurt%20and%20cheese.

Photo Source: https://www.drjennifercohen.com/calm-happy-mealtime-solution/

Great Snacking Options

 

GOOD NUTRITION IS ESSENTIAL for a child’s healthy growth and development. It’s also important for their dental health! A good diet can help your child build strong, healthy teeth, while poor eating habits puts your child at a higher risk of tooth decay.

You may understand how important nutritious meals are, but one thing some parents struggle with is snack time. Here are our best tips on how to make sure your child’s snack time is tooth-friendly!

Not All Snacks Are Created Equal

Stay away from starchy, sticky or sugary foods during snack time, like dried fruit, crackers, chips and cookies. These types of snacks can stick to the teeth for long periods of time, potentially causing cavities. For snack time it’s best to opt for fruits, vegetables, nuts, yogurt and cheese.

Source: https://hanoverdentistry.com/2016/08/23/snacking-tips-to-keep-your-childs-smile-health/#:~:text=Stay%20away%20from%20starchy%2C%20sticky,%2C%20nuts%2C%20yogurt%20and%20cheese.

Good Nutrition & Dental Health

 

This is a great informational video reminder of why smart snacking will benefit your child not only now but in the future. Included in the video are a couple of great ideas to help your child attain the best oral health care that they can.