Kids and Brushing Teeth: The Why
There are a lot of rumors out there about teeth and how to treat them. Kids need to have conversations with their parents about their teeth. Let’s talk about a lot of topics.
For instance, what kids can expect at the dentist, and how to minimize problems. Proper brushing and daily flossing is a must. Tips for eating healthy food that will help kids maintain good dental hygiene are all included in this blog post!
We've all been there. You walk into the dentist's office and are greeted by rows of gleaming white chairs, with each one occupied by a smiling patient who is waiting for their turn on the examination table.
It can be an intimidating experience to say the least, but it doesn't have to be! Knowing what kids CAN expect at the dentist will help you feel more prepared when your child goes in for his or her appointment.
The dental team typically starts off by asking how they can make your visit a good experience before looking inside your mouth - this may include finding out about any concerns that might come up during treatment. However, if we know beforehand what kids CAN EXPECT from going to see their local dentist, they will have less anxiety about the event.
What can kids expect at the dentist?
The Chair - Before anything, the assistant will have you sit in a big intimidating chair. This chair goes up and down and leans forward and back. Don't be frightened, it is quite comfortable.
Put On A Bib-A bib will be placed around the neck. The dentist will use this as he works on your teeth.
Note that most modern dentists also have TV's for viewing while they are looking at your teeth.
X-Ray - Now it is time for an x-ray. This allows the dentist to see things inside your teeth. They will have you bite down on plastic pieces that give them a better look at the teeth. Ask to have the dentist explain the x-rays to you.
Open Wide - The dentist will take a look at your teeth and gums to see what he found on the x-rays with some different lights on their glasses.
The Takeaways - You'll also be given an extra soft toothbrush and toothpaste, so you can brush after the appointment is over. Most dentists also give brave kids stickers.
Proper teeth care for kids
-Avoid sticky food, especially candy.
-Brush teeth twice a day. Parents can be the example for their kids by brushing with them.
-Brush in a rotation motion on the sides and back and forth on the tops and back.
-The tongue can also be brushed but is not necessary.
-Make sure to not use too much pressure while brushing teeth!
-Flossing every day helps keep food from getting stuck in the teeth too.
-Use a pea size amount of toothpaste with fluoride
-Rinse your teeth with water and spit the water out.
Let's talk about foods for good dental hygiene
-Eat yogurt with active cultures to replenish your good bacteria in the mouth.
-Avoid starchy foods that can cause cavities and sugar treats which can stick between teeth leading to decay.
- A lot of the time, kids have a hard time making good food decisions for themselves. They want to eat what everyone else is eating and may not understand why they can't just drink regular soda at family gatherings or fast food on Friday night when mom's too tired to cook (or maybe she is cooking dinner).
But if you explain things in terms of how it will help them have healthy teeth later on down the line, chances are they'll be more apt to listen!
- The first thing parents need to do when talking about healthful eating habits with their children is set a good example by avoiding sugary drinks like colas and fruit juice—it doesn't matter if it's 100% juice from concentrate because that still has a lot of sugar in it.
- Finally, they should focus on eating foods that are high in calcium to strengthen teeth and bones like milk, cheese, yogurt, soybeans (edamame), kale and broccoli—these are great sources of both protein and calcium!
The Flossing Secret
When a parent or kid brushes their teeth, they are brushing the teeth and gums on one side of the mouth but not four sides of the tooth where food particles often get stuck between two teeth. If you want your kids to be good at cleaning in between those spaces (which will happen as they get older), then it's important for them to learn how now!
A great way for young children under age seven to floss (and our secret to get them to do it willingly) is with a Plackers (a plastic toothpick with dental floss at the other end).
They are easier than the spools of floss because kids can use them without your help! All of my kids have become great flossers now that they can do it themselves.
One Dentist even gave us a flossing aid where we could wind the spool floss onto it. That was interesting for a while but they got to be a pain to do every day so we switched back to the Plackers.
Put a Crown on The conversation
We discussed what kids can expect at the dentist, proper teeth care for kids, foods to avoid and enjoy, and our flossing secret. Now that you are empowered, help your kids have healthy teeth.