5 Things You May Not Know About Your Children’s Dental Health

We don’t like it, but we know that sometimes dental health gets put on the back burner for both children and adults. In some ways, it makes sense to us why this would happen. The mouth is just one small part of the overall body, so how important could it really be in the grand scheme of things? Well folks, it turns out that oral health is incredibly important for people of all ages.

February is Children’s Dental Health Month, which is the one month every year that the American Dental Association chooses to raise awareness about the importance of oral health in children. As such, we wanted to share 5 things you may not know about your children’s dental health and reinforce the importance of making oral health a priority early on for your youngsters.

5 Things You May Not Know About Your Children’s Dental Health

Children should first see the dentist around their 1st birthday, or 6 months after they get their first tooth

Why so early? Tooth decay isn’t sensitive to age. It’s important to begin cleaning your children’s teeth and reinforcing good oral hygiene in them from a very young age so that they will continue taking good care of their teeth for the rest of their life.

Juice isn’t much better than soda

Most juices have a sugar content that is just about as high (or higher) than soda. This can wreak havoc on your children’s teeth, especially when consumed regularly. Your safest bet is to encourage your children to drink as much milk and water as possible.

It’s not how often they brush, it’s how well they brush

Children need to learn how to properly brush their teeth in order to maintain good brushing habits for the rest of their lives. Brushing for a full 2 minutes is a must. To help, purchase a kitchen timer for your kids to keep in the bathroom or if you really want to get fancy, check out the Kolibree, a toothbrush that will digitally sense how well and how long your kids are brushing.

Kids need to wear a mouthguard when playing sports

Mouthguards aren’t just for high-impact sports such as football and hockey. They need to be worn during all sports in order to protect your child’s face, teeth, and gums from possible injury. Each year dentists and oral surgeons see way too many nasty facial injuries that could have easily been prevented with a mouthguard.

Certain foods can really help your little one’s smiles

Good food options include dairy, nuts, lean protein (such as chicken), veggies, and firm/crunchy fruits. These foods provide calcium and phosphorous which help to remineralize teeth and protect enamel. Incorporating these into their meals will help their teeth stay healthy for years to come.

 Conclusion

Children’s Dental Health Month is a great time to stop and remind yourself and your children about the importance of their oral health. There are lots of other useful resources for you out there to further your child’s dental knowledge and excitement! Learn more by visiting the ADA website. What questions do you have about the oral health of your child? Feel free to comment below and share your thoughts. Until next time, Happy Children’s Dental Health Month from Rusnak Family Dentistry!