The Importance of Good Oral Hygiene for Children

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Teaching your children to practice good oral hygiene often feels like a constant battle. Stocking the bathroom with their favorite toothpaste helps to stifle those anticipated groans. Yet, it also helps to give yourself a reminder of why it is important to make sure they practice good habits. Focusing on these benefits of proper oral hygiene for children makes it easier to remember to remind them that it is time to brush their teeth. Down below we will begin discussing all the tips you need to remember when thinking of the importance of your child’s oral hygiene.

Establish a Lifetime of Healthy Habits

Habits that are established in childhood are more likely to last into adulthood. Children who brush and floss their teeth regularly turn it into a normal part of their day. While your children might need reminders now, they’ll eventually feel like doing it is as natural as brushing their hair. Later in life, they’ll be glad they did when they have a mouth full of healthy teeth that are less likely to be impacted by gum disease.

Improve the Effects of Orthodontic Treatment

Many children will need orthodontic treatment to correct gaps between their teeth that can serve as food traps. While those braces do their work, your child will need to practice vigilant oral hygiene. Traditional metal braces can trap food in the wires, which is no big deal as long as it gets removed quickly. At local pediatric dentistries like Blooming Smiles, children are taught how to brush around their orthodontic appliance properly, so that their teeth are nice and white for the big reveal at the end of their treatment.

Boost Their Self-Confidence

Even elementary children often worry about the appearance of their teeth. While some children’s teeth have a slightly yellower shade than others, your child can avoid the potential embarrassment of having unsightly tooth stains. You can do your part by encouraging your child to drink water or milk instead of brightly colored sodas. Brushing regularly is also all it takes to help keep stains away between your child’s normal teeth cleanings.

Prevent the Need for Invasive Dental Treatments

Gum disease tends to be associated with adults, but children can also develop this irritating oral health condition. Children can also get cavities that are severe enough to require extractions, which can lead to issues with their adult teeth later on. Avoiding potentially painful deep cleanings and extractions is easier when your child brushes and flosses their teeth on a regular basis.

Once you establish a good oral hygiene routine for your child, make sure to revisit it regularly to see if anything needs to change. Encouraging your child to brush to music can get them to clean their teeth long enough to make a bigger difference. Or, your child might want to try a water flosser instead of traditional string floss. Working with your child’s oral care provider can help you identify ways to make their hygiene routine more fun and effective.

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Brooke Chaplan

Brooke Chaplan is a freelance writer and blogger. She lives and works out of her home in Los Lunas, New Mexico. She loves the outdoors and spends most of her time hiking, biking, and gardening.

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