Read the top tips from our children’s dentistry office on how to keep your kids’ smiles happy and healthy!
Teaching your kids good oral hygiene techniques is important for their oral health, as these practices keep the mouth clean and free of disease. Led by children’s dentist Dr. Emily Gairhan, Gairhan Dental Care (located in Jonesboro, AR) offers a full range of dental services to assist you in keeping your kids healthy. Here are our 5 tips for teaching oral hygiene to your children!
1. Videos and Books
Using educational videos and books is a great way to get your children excited about oral hygiene. Additionally, these materials are generally very easily accessed through your local library or through the internet.
2. Floss and Brush Together
Children mimic what their parents do, so showing your own kids what amazing tooth-brushing skills you have can inspire them to take care of their own teeth! After brushing, floss their teeth or teach them how to floss if they’re old enough to do it on their own. To make brushing and flossing fun, sing a fun song or create a rhyme about keeping teeth healthy.
3. Fun Kids Toothbrushes
Another way to keep your children’s interest alive is with fun, new toothbrushes. When it’s time to replace the old toothbrushes with a new one, opt for colorful, soft-bristled brushes or one with a cartoon character such as Dora the Explorer, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, or SpongeBob SquarePants.
4. Keep Track of Time
The American Dental Association recommends that children and adults brush for two minutes twice a day. How do you know that your kids are brushing for long enough? Keeping a timer in the bathroom is one way to ensure your children are brushing their teeth for the recommended two minutes. You can also use a toothbrush timer app to encourage your children to brush longer.
5. Reward System
To make flossing and brushing more fun, create your own reward system. You and your kids can decorate a colorful poster with teeth, healthy snacks, toothpaste, toothbrushes, and other dental health themes to represent the days of each month. Every time your child brushes his teeth, give them a sticker to put on the poster as a reward!
Jonesboro, AR Childrens Dentist
Regular dental visits are also an important part of keeping your children’s smiles healthy for life. Schedule a dental appointment for your kids in Jonesboro, AR. Seeing a children’s dentist regularly will put your kids on a healthy pathway that can continue throughout their lives!
