Top tips for Kid’s oral health

Handy tips for kid’s oral health

With the kids gearing up to go back to school, we thought it was a good time to share our Top Tips for keeping your child’s teeth in tip-top shape. Establishing a healthy routine at the start of the school year, and sticking to it, will see your child smiling bright and healthy. And don’t forget our Back to School special offer is on until the end of September – where you can get your child a free dental check-up (T&Cs apply).

Make brushing fun!

Try to make brushing teeth a fun family activity as apposed to a daily chore. Take the time to brush your teeth at the same time as your child in the morning and at night, this way your child can observe and learn the correct methods. A novelty toothbrush and children’s toothpaste are another way to make brushing more engaging.

There’s a suite of fun and engaging materials available for free in the Kid’s Corner on our website. Our downloadable tooth chart is an easy way of tracking your child’s brushing habits over the course of a month. Mark off each circle as they complete a day, and then at the end of the week they get a simple reward for being brilliant brushers! It’s a simple and effective way to make brushing fun.

Brush the right way

We all know how important regular brushing is, but it’s equally important to brush the right way. Here’s three pointers to brush effectively:
• Make sure you teach your child to brush for at least two minutes twice a day. Use an egg timer or stopwatch to make it fun.
• Until your child is seven or eight years old supervise their brushing as much as possible. You can keep an eagle eye on their technique and how long they’re spending time brushing. By instructing and reinforcing good habits, you’re setting them up for good oral health later in life.
• Spit don’t rinse! Tell your child to spit out the toothpaste when finished brushing instead of rinsing out with water. This way, the protective fluoride will stay on their teeth for longer.

Take them to dentist at an early age

It may seem obvious, but one of the most common questions we get on social media is “At what age should I start bringing my child to the dentist?”. The answer is simple… as soon as their teeth appear, you need to start looking after them.

When their first milk teeth appear, book an appointment with your local Smiles Dental practice. Your child will become accustomed to a dental practice environment from an early age and learn that there’s nothing to fear or be worried about. Regular check-ups in the early years of life, allow your dentist to spot any potential issues before they develop into serious (and costly) problems. You can help your child here, by speaking positively about their upcoming dental visit. Present the visit as a treat, as something exciting that’s to be looked forward to. This will help your child build positive associations with the dentist.

If you have any questions regarding your children’s oral health, always feel free to contact your local Smiles Dental for friendly advice.

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