You have heard it before, “Good Habits Begin at Home”. The saying is true across the board for almost everything. Good habits for studying, good habits for nutrition, good habits for exercise, having kindness, spending habits – the list can go on forever. One vital habit to establish early for your children at home, however, is good dental habits.
At Panorama Dental, we treat individuals, children, and families – and we love what we do! When we treat children, we want to make sure to educate the parents at the same time. In fact, we encourage parents to start bringing their children in for dental appointments as early as age one. This helps the child grow up with the dentist being a part of their life and allows them to be comfortable in the environment. In addition, we can track your child’s dental history from the first baby tooth to the first tooth loss and on into adulthood.
A Dental Toolkit for Your Child
Giving your child the right tools to establish good dental habits at home is the first step to a lifetime of good dental health. Here are a few “tools” we like to give kids at their dental appointments.
- Brush After Breakfast and Before Bed. Sugar bugs love your breakfast, probably more than you do! Brush your teeth after breakfast to keep the sugar bugs (bacteria) away! Plus, the kids at school will appreciate the fresh breath. Among your nighttime routine, fit a two-minute brushing session in between pajamas and storytime.
- Floss Between Your Teeth Before Bed. Right after brushing, floss between each tooth to remove all of the day’s gunk and junk. You wouldn’t keep wearing the same underwear day after day – don’t wear the same dental underwear between your teeth!
- Visit Your Friend – the Dentist. Have fun with your dentist and make them someone you are comfortable around. If you aren’t comfortable with that particular dentist – tell a grown-up and we can find someone you are comfortable around. It is important to visit your friend the dentist twice per year so they can see how big your smile is getting, how good of a job you are doing with your brushing and flossing routine, and make sure you don’t have any sugar bugs that moved in permanently.
- Limit Sugar. We know, we love it, too. Those sugar treats and drinks are so tempting! If you can limit yourself on sugar, though – you will have fewer unnecessary visits to the dentists and less time evicting the sugar bugs that moved in. In addition, less sugar will actually make you feel better overall. Can you imagine not feeling tired after school or getting rid of that brain fog during math class? Say bye to sugar and those things won’t just be imagined!
- Ask Questions. There is a lot to learn about your teeth and gums. The good news is that it is fun to learn! If you have questions about your teeth, the tooth fairy, sugar bugs, procedures that may sound kind of scary, or even questions about the dentist’s birthday – ask away! The more you know, the less afraid you will be. Who knows, maybe someday YOU will be the dentist!
A Dentist for the Family
Your child will most likely have questions as they grow up and as their teeth change. If you aren’t sure how to answer or you have questions yourself, please don’t hesitate to talk to one of our professional providers at Panorama. We care for the entire family and can’t wait to help you give your child the tools he/she needs for great dental health. Schedule an appointment today and we can even get you in together as a family! New patients can schedule a cleaning, exam, and set of x-rays for just $59. See you soon!