Improving Your Child’s Oral Health

22 March 2020

Staggeringly, a new survey has reported that one in ten children leave primary school without essential life skills, such as brushing their teeth. It’s thought that essential oral health skills are one of many skills children lack when leaving primary school. Etwall Dental Practice would like to offer some tips on how to ensure your child’s oral health is well maintained, so it’s not a concern in later life.

Why is my child’s oral health especially important?

Whilst caring for your teeth carries obvious benefits, it’s particularly important for children. Ensuring their primary teeth are healthy is crucial, as they offer a number of different functions. Not only do they keep your child’s jaw straight, they also hold the space for adult teeth, and play an important role in how children learn to chew, smile, and talk. Developing healthy teeth from an early age will also help with confidence and participation in their education and social life. Establishing good oral health habits early on will help encourage lifelong patterns.

How do I improve my child’s oral health?

1. Set an Example

Make sure you practice what you preach. Incorporate a variety of healthy foods into your daily diet, so that your children are less inclined to opt for processed or sugary foods. Ensure you strictly follow your own oral health care routine twice a day of both brushing and flossing. Better yet, do all of the aforementioned at the same time as your child, so they can watch and learn.

2. Teach Your Children During Infancy

When your child turns three, Etwall Dental Practice recommends beginning to teach your child proper brushing techniques. Using no more than a pea-sized amount of fluoridated toothpaste, you should consolidate their efforts by gently brushing the teeth again, modelling the correct technique. Should this routine be introduced early on, you’ll find that when your child is around five/six years old, they should be developing the dexterity to do it alone. 

3. Start a Routine Early

Establish a strict routine early on in their life and ensure it’s adhered to for a number of years. Our dental experts recommend twice a day, morning and night.

4. Avoid Sugar

A tip that should be carried into adult life. Public Health England recently reported that 25% of five-year olds had experienced tooth decay, having three to four teeth effected on average. When your child ingests sugars, it takes their saliva a minimum of 30 minutes to neutralise the subsequent acidity. Regular intake of sugary snacks can result in your child’s mouth being extremely acidic, increasing the chances of tooth decay.

5. Avoid Baby Bottle Tooth Decay

For those parenting an infant, Etwall Dental Practice recommends only allowing your child to go to sleep with a bottle filled with water. Other liquids, including breast milk and formula, contain significantly more sugar and therefore make children’s teeth more susceptible to decay.

When can I bring my baby to the dentist?

Our dental experts recommend bringing your child to the dentist for the first time within 6 months of their first tooth forming.

Summary

With such negative findings on children’s oral health being reported by national associations, it is vital parents ensure their children adhere to routine and learn how to care for their teeth and gums on their own.

At Etwall Dental Practice, we believe preventive dentistry begins once the first tooth is formed. Our practice provides families with a relaxing, stress-free environment that helps children become accustomed to and comfortable in a dental practice.

If you feel as though your child needs a check-up, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us via our Contact page. Read more about some of the procedures we offer on our Treatments page.