How to Encourage Children for Healthy Dental Habits?

Dental care for children holds a special place in dentists’ lives. Pediatric dentists are specially trained and skilled to handle all oral concerns that children may have. Therefore, do not short-change your child by missing out on healthy dental habits and preventive dental care.

​Prepare The Kid to Go to The Dentist

Raising your children to be healthy little humans should include excellent oral health. Their mouths are just as important as the rest of their bodies, if not more.

Preparing a child to visit a dentist for the first time can feel overwhelming because you do not know what to anticipate. However, you can prepare yourself in the following ways:

1. Find a family dentist that also caters to your oral needs. This way, you will have some firsthand experience in how they conduct business and whether they are child friendly.
2. Start early – set a clear basis for your child from an early age. By the time they are old enough to understand, they will be used to seeing a dentist regularly. Usually, pediatric dentists near you recommend starting dental visits when their first tooth erupts.
3. Practice good oral hygiene at home – children learn most things by observing and imitating. Allow your children to watch you keep up with oral hygiene measures like teeth brushing and flossing. Better yet, engage them in dental cleaning measures.
4. Build a relationship with a trusted dental professional. This can help make future dental visits more comfortable and enjoyable for your child.

Are There Benefits to Visiting a Dentist Early?

Unless there are clear advantages to something, some people refuse to trust the advice of a kids’ dentist near them. Here are a few reasons why it is essential to prepare kids for dental visits at Greenway Pediatric Dentistry:

1. Alleviating Anxiety: Many children are afraid of going to the dentist for fear of a painful and traumatic experience. Instead, if you prepare your kids well, they are more likely to enjoy a more positive.
2. Good Oral Health Habits: Regular dental exams and cleanings are fundamental preventive measures for good oral health. The sooner you get your children accustomed to going to the dentist from a young age, the more you help them establish good oral health habits that they will carry into adulthood.
3. Detecting Problems Early: Common oral problems such as cavities and gum disease have significantly affected many kids. Fortunately, some children can escape that fate by visiting kids’ dentists in Houston regularly for dental evaluations. The dentists identify oral problems early, offering appropriate treatment for them.
4. Open Communication: Preparing kids for dental visits can encourage them to open up in communicating better with dentists. If children communicate their needs well to dentists, they can gain better control and confidence about dental procedures. Your child will also develop a positive attitude towards dental care.

​Different Tips to Encourage Kids to Maintain Dental Habit

Encouraging children to maintain good dental habits can sometimes be challenging, but there are several tips you can follow to make it easier:

1. Encourage good dental habits from a young age. Even before your child’s teeth appear, clean their gums with a soft, damp cloth or brush.
2. Make dental care fun – using colorful and playful children’s products like toothbrushes, toothpaste, and dental floss. Find those with your child’s favorite fun characters, cartoons, or flavors.
3. Brush and floss with your child, making it a family activity. Aside from modeling good oral hygiene habits, establish routines with your child that they can look forward to every day. Make the routines part of their daily tasks, like getting dressed or having breakfast.
4. Praise your child for maintaining good dental habits and caring for their teeth. Reward them with a small treat, gold star, or sticker that will encourage and motivate them to keep getting better.
5. Encourage your child to limit sugary snacks and drinks that can cause tooth decay and gum disease. Provide alternative healthy snacks like fruits, vegetables, and cheese instead.
6. Schedule regular dental check-ups and cleanings for your child.