Oral health tips for parents Helping kids with good oral health means good health as an adult.
Thursday, August 29, 2013
The New Hampshire Dental Society offered today tips
for parents to get their kids into good oral health routines. Research shows
that health mouths in children translate into good oral health as an adult.
According the NHDS, here are some simple things parent can co to help their
kids heave great a healthy smile:
- Help kids to floss before their molars come in, which is between 2 to 3 years of age. Learning to floss is important to stopping plaque from forming between the teeth – as that can lead to cavities
- Pacifier use or thumb sucking after 5 years of age may lead to issues with teeth.
- Younger children who use sippy cups should only use them for water – and never take them to bed with them
- Cut down on sugary food early. Don’t make candy, sodas, and other sugar-rich items a reward – get kids into the habit of healthy snack that are not bad for teeth.
- Avoid sticky foods like fruit gummies and fruit roll-ups, which can stick to the teeth.
- Take kids to visit a pediatric dentist by their first birthday or when their first teeth come in.
- If your water is not fluoridated, have kids drink fluoridated drinking water to help keep teeth strong.
- Let older kids chew xylitol sugar-free gum (in small sizes to avoided the chance of choking) to increases the flow of saliva to helps neutralize acids.
The New Hampshire Dental Society is the professional association of dentists in New Hampshire.
http://nhds.org