Keeping our body up and running requires care and attention to every aspect of our physical needs. Healthy dental habits are part of ensuring a long and robust life. Most people ignore the needs of their body until a health issue creeps up and leaves no choice! Don’t wait for things to go bad, start early.
Family fun instills good childhood dental habits.
Children learn from their parents. If you lead a healthy life and follow healthy habits, your kids will grow up with these habits as a part of their lifestyle. One of the most important, and unfortunately ignored, is the need to practice healthy dental habits. A single dental issue can cause immense pain, discomfort and money. Following good habits from childhood helps prevent this.
Healthy Dental Habits in Kids
Five ways to make brushing teeth fun for the kids!
- Make brushing teeth a shared activity. Brush your teeth with your children and make it a routine that you never skip!
- With toddlers, let your child brush the teeth of their toys while you brush their teeth. You can also let them brush your teeth. Kids love playing dentist!
- Practice 2 minutes of healthy brushing by adding interesting tools like a sand hourglass or kitchen timer. You can also hum a short song or play a game with rewards.
- Add characters in bedtime stories that talk about brushing teeth or ‘monsters’ that try to ruin teeth… be creative!
- Purchase a brightly colored toothbrush, preferably your child’s favorite color.
Never allow your child to go to bed without brushing. Lead by good example and hold yourself to the same standard. Also, regular dental check ups must start early. Don’t wait for a problem to become big. A regular dental check up can diagnose problems at an early age and effectively treat them before they grow into something that requires intensive treatments. Make visiting the dentist fun in your child’s mind! Talk about bad breath, gum protection and other dental related issues from an early age to make your child conscious and aware of good dental habits.
Childhood habits are for a lifetime. Make brushing teeth time, a fun time!