The biggest influence in children’s oral health is parental involvement. Over 95% of kids learn by what they are modeled, not by what we tell them to do. It is essential that parents not only model what a healthy oral regime looks like but that they also help to create a routine that works best for their child. Here are some suggestions on how to create a routine that will stick.

Have Your Dentist Talk to Your Kids about Oral Hygiene Expectations
Have your dentist (the expert) share with your child about why it’s important to keep their teeth and their gums healthy with regular brushing and flossing.

Power Struggles with Older Kids
If and when you get into a power struggle with your older child, instead of fighting them on it, try handing them a toothbrush with the toothpaste already on it. Be sure to use no words, only action. Another option for older kids is the type of rinse that actually turns colors in the areas where they may have missed. This is effective in showing how much plaque is on their teeth and might inspire them to brush and floss more regularly.

Have Your Dentist Talk to Your Kids about Oral Hygiene Expectations
Have your dentist (the expert) share with your child about why it’s important to keep their teeth and their gums healthy with regular brushing and flossing.

Power Struggles with Older Kids
If and when you get into a power struggle with your older child, instead of fighting them on it, try handing them a toothbrush with the toothpaste already on it. Be sure to use no words, only action. Another option for older kids is the type of rinse that actually turns colors in the areas where they may have missed. This is effective in showing how much plaque is on their teeth and might inspire them to brush and floss more regularly.

Ultimately, it is our child’s responsibility to brush their teeth twice a day and floss once. This is much easier said than done so what can parents do to ensure their children engage in a healthy hygiene routine?

The biggest influence in children’s oral health is parental involvement. Over 95% of kids learn by what they are modeled, not by what we tell them to do. It is essential that parents not only model what a healthy oral regime looks like but that they also help to create a routine that works best for their child. Here are some suggestions on how to create a routine that will stick.

Make it Fun
Parents can sing a song or make a rhyme about tooth brushing while their child is brushing away. There are also a number of books you can read to kids about brushing. The answer lies in exploring these options and figuring out which ones work best for you and your family.

I’ll Brush Yours and You Brush Mine
Have the parents brush the child’s teeth and have your child tell you if you missed any spots. Switch and Repeat. Another alternative is to come in at the end of your child’s brushing and act as a street cleaner. Give your child a final tooth “sweep.” (Make sure to do the sound effect of the street cleaner).

Offer Choices
Example: Ask your child, “Do you want to brush/floss your upper teeth or lower teeth first?” You can also have your child pick a fun toothbrush, or have them pick out the toothpaste they would like to use.

Have Your Dentist Talk to Your Kids about Oral Hygiene Expectations
Have your dentist (the expert) share with your child about why it’s important to keep their teeth and their gums healthy with regular brushing and flossing.

It is not uncommon for parents to underestimate the importance of taking young children to the dentist’s office. After all, they are going to lose those baby teeth anyway. However, the truth is that children should visit the dentist for the first time just after their first tooth emerges, and no later than their third birthday. This early visit will not only help children to become comfortable with their dentist, but early examination of teeth and their underlying structures can ensure that the child’s teeth develop properly.

One aspect of pediatric dentistry that often shocks the parents of infants and very young children is the prevalence of cavities at such an early age. Childhood carries, often known as baby bottle or nursing cavities, are actually quite common amongst small children. The main cause of baby bottle cavities is, unfortunately, a very common occurrence: putting young children or babies to bed with a bottle filled with milk or juice.

When a child takes a bottle to bed, the liquid inside stays on his or her teeth, feeding the bacteria that naturally occurs in every person’s mouth. These bacteria produce plaque, which then leads to decay. Common signs that a baby might be experiencing tooth decay or dental pain may include mealtime crying, trouble falling asleep, and abnormal crying when the child wakes up. In most cases, baby bottle cavities can be removed with a thorough professional cleaning. In some cases, when the cavities have progressed too far, a crown, filling, or even tooth extraction may be necessary, so if parents suspect these carries are present they should consult a pediatric dentist as soon as possible.

The best way to prevent baby bottle or nursing cavities is to start preventive care and a good oral hygiene routine at an early age. Of course, it is best not to put children to bed with a bottle, but this can be a difficult habit to break. If your child needs a bottle to fall asleep, try substituting water or a non-sweetened beverage for milk or juice. Otherwise, a pacifier is fine to use for small children and babies. Another simple way to avoid baby bottle or nursing cavities is to ensure that your child’s teeth and gums are clean. For infants, it is sufficient to gently cleanse the gums with a damp cloth. When your child’s first teeth emerge, you should brush them gently with a baby sized toothbrush. For more information about nursing cavities and how to prevent them, contact your pediatric dentist.

Thumb sucking is a very normal natural action that is, for the most part, harmless to young children. Sucking is the first coordinated muscular action that babies learn-many babies even begin sucking their thumbs in the womb. Sucking helps to strengthen the muscles that allow a baby to eat.

More than 80 percent of babies and infants suck their thumbs, and this is perfectly healthy, even when baby teeth start to emerge. The damage is done when the child is over the age of four. When an older toddler or young child sucks his or her thumb, it can actually alter the shape of his or her jawbone or the roof of his mouth. This can lead to upper front teeth that protrude, lower teeth that tilt inward, or a cross bite. These problems do not occur with baby teeth, but only when the child’s permanent teeth start to develop.

Your child sucks his thumb as a way to comfort, relax, or entertain himself. How do you get him to stop?  The best way to get a little one to stop sucking his thumb is to offer a reward system for positive behavior. Figure out why he sucks, then provide a new item to replace the habit. For example, if your child sucks his thumb to comfort himself, see whether a stuffed animal or special blanket will present a suitable replacement. Some parents need to take more extreme steps, and put their children in mittens to prevent unconscious nighttime thumb sucking.

Only you know your child and what will work with him. The key to stopping the sucking is positive reinforcement, not scolding, shame, or stress. This is a difficult habit for kids and parents to break, but the benefit of a beautiful, healthy smile is well worth the work.

Does the quality of care of baby teeth influence the health of permanent teeth?
The short answer to this question is, yes. Although baby teeth, also known as milk teeth or primary teeth, are replaced by permanent teeth they play an important role in your child’s dental development.

Baby teeth act as important place holders for the permanent teeth developing in the gums below them. In some cases, baby teeth are lost due to unnatural causes: they may need to be removed because they are unhealthy with cavities, or they may be knocked out. When this happens, the surrounding teeth will shift position to fill the gap created by the missing tooth. This, in turn, will impede proper emergence and placement of the permanent teeth waiting just below the surface. If a tooth must be removed or is lost due to another factor, your child’s dentist can have a realistic looking false tooth constructed to hold the teeth in proper position.

In addition to acting as place holders for permanent teeth, primary teeth also aid in the proper development of muscles for speech and chewing. Your child should get his or her first tooth at around six months old, and all teeth are generally erupted by the age of two. Most children have 20 primary teeth, while the average adult has 32 permanent teeth. Baby teeth are lost naturally between the ages of 7 and 12.

Baby Teeth Care
Now that you know how important baby teeth are, you need to take good care of them. Before your child has developed teeth, you can clean his or her gums with a damp cloth. Once the teeth emerge, use a baby-sized toothbrush and minimal toothpaste to gently cleanse the teeth. With proper care of baby teeth, your child can enjoy a lifetime of beautiful, strong smiles.

As with adults, care and prevention for children starts with regular dental visits and proper dental hygiene. Kids have special needs as well, since their teeth are still developing, they are often prone to diets that are heavier in cavity-producing sweets, and they are still learning good brushing technique.

Proper Dental Hygiene for Children
Before there are any visible teeth, parents are encouraged to wipe their child’s gums with a damp washcloth. Once teeth emerge, parents should brush them for the child with a soft toothbrush. When your child is old enough to brush on their own, make sure they only use a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste, and monitor the brushing to ensure good technique. Kids should brush at least twice a day, and whenever possible, after meals and sweets. Once permanent teeth grow in, teach your child how to properly floss, and encourage them to do this at least once a day.

Regular Dental Visits for Children
Children need checkups twice a year, starting at the age of two. These regular dental visits usually consist of a thorough cleaning and a dental exam. Your dentist may also recommend fluoride treatments and supplements to keep your child’s teeth strong and healthy. If your child is especially prone to cavities, there are also special sealants that your dentist can apply to the molars to give them an extra line of defense against decay.