Here are a few tips on starting your children off right when it comes to good oral health:
- Begin cleaning their teeth as soon as you see them (you can start by using a clean, damp cloth and switch to a toothbrush later on).
- Begin regular dental care with a dental visit around age two or three.
- Choose the right dentist for your child.
- Treat their first visit like it’s something routine so they will feel relaxed.
- Teach proper brushing techniques, first by doing it yourself, and then letting them take over when they are old enough to understand and do it properly.
- Don’t use scare tactics to get your children to adopt good home dental care practices. That will backfire later on, especially if you try to scare them about dental visits. This could make them a lifelong dental phobic.
- Help them with flossing in the beginning, and work with them to begin flossing themselves as they get older (probably around age 8).
- Don’t wait until a problem arises to bring them in for dental care as this will start their dental visits out on a negative note.