 |
"11 SECRETS FOR RAISING CAVITY FREE CHILDREN"
1. Begin cleaning your baby's mouth with a gauze pad about six month of age.
A daily cleaning in infancy will get your child accostumed to the process
of oral hygiene.
2. By starting early, your baby is more likely to accept your cleaning the
teeth
later, when it is necessary to prevent tooth decay. Introduce a toothbrush
and a small amount of fluoride toothpaste into the routine by the time
your child reaches 18 months, or at the time the first molars come in.
3. Avoid and minimize too many sweets; these include fruit juices, sugary
cereals, cake/cookies, candies, dried fruit (including fruit roll-ups)
and
chocolate bars. Never, ever give your child a bottle at bedtime
unless it is water.
4. If a sweet treat is unavoidable, follow it up with something healthy like
fruit, cheese, sugar free gum or (even better) brushing their teeth.
5. Your child's first visit to the dentist should be by the age of two or two
and half. Although baby teeth will eventually fall out, they are very
important to your child's dental and facial development. We can
monitor this with check-ups every six months.
6. Have your dentist apply a sealant to protect the biting surfaces at the
permanent six year and twelve years molars.
7. Stop your child thumb sucking habits before the permanent teeth come
in or by age six. This habit can alter the position of the new teeth and
affect speech and facial development. If you are having trouble getting
your child to stop, a retainer may be recommended.
8. Encourage a nutritionally well balanced diet and supplement with vitamins
and minerals. A growing child needs this more than ever.
Consult your physician for details.
9. Ask your dentist, doctor or pharmacist if you live in a community where
there is fluoride in the tap water. If not, find out if it is appropriate
to
supplement and when.
10. You need to help your child under the age of seven when brushing their
teeth. Studies show that children six and under do not have the
dexterity to do a good job.Let them start on their own so they can
practice and then you finish for them for a total of 2 minutes.
11. Finally, as you know, children learn the behaviour they observe. So the
reality is, your dental and nutritional habits are just as important as
your child's.
Monkey see, monkey do!
When was the last time you had your dental check-up and cleaning?
I made this report to give you some quick, helpful tips that you can use
to help your
child grow up with the healthy teeth and gums and prevent as many dental
problems
as possible.
Most dental books suggest you bring your child to the dentist at the sign of
first teeth - but that doesn't work out so well.
WHEN SHOULD YOU BRING YOUR CHILD TO THE DENTIST?
We suggest that your kids come to visit us between two and three years
of age.
Just to take a quick look, perhaps count their teeth and give them a ride
in the
chair up and down!
We make it fun, give them new toothbrush and a toy so they can think
"Hey this doctor is pretty cool."
Parents seem to like that because kids like coming back and they grow
up not being afraid of the dentist. |
|
|