Dental Care for Kids: Establishing Good Habits Early

Article By Candace Amaker

Nothing is scarier for a kid than having to go to the dentist’s office. Well, there’s also the doctor’s office, but we’re not talking about that right now! But going back to the dentist’s office, how can kids NOT be scared when they see their dentist come in with a whole set of tools that look like something straight out of a horror movie!? But if you don’t want the dentist to use all their special little tools, then it’s probably best that you get your kid on the path to great oral hygiene at a young age.

Look, most children are not going to willingly brush their teeth or they may just forget to do so. That’s what parents are around for, to teach their kids how to do the basics. Tying their shoes, bathing themselves, cleaning up their messes. These are all things we have to learn as we grow up, but one thing that must be a constant in our lives is maintaining good hygiene, including oral hygiene. 

For babies whose teeth haven’t come in yet, parents should make a habit of cleaning their child’s gums. Don’t worry, this is completely harmless and when your baby starts teething, wiping their gums with a damp washcloth can help to soothe their pain. But the moment their first tooth pops up, you need to start brushing. Now this is where things really get rolling!

Baby’s teeth can come in as soon as four months and they are good practice for when your child gets their permanent teeth. They eventually all fall out by the time your kid turns thirteen, but that doesn’t mean they should just not brush their teeth until then. I mean, I’m sure you wouldn’t let your child neglect their teeth for that long, even if they’ll lose their baby teeth in time. That would be just weird…and gross…

But keeping your baby’s teeth healthy until their adult teeth come in is essential. Poor oral hygiene during this time can lead to a child’s adult teeth coming in crooked due to things like their baby teeth having decayed or fallen out. And unsurprisingly, baby teeth that are not properly taken care of can also cause certain infections and problems as your child gets older. Your child could even experience problems with speech as well.

Starting a brushing routine as soon as your child’s first tooth comes in will make brushing their teeth a regular part of their life early on. But when kids get to their toddler stage, things may become a bit difficult since they want to have a say in their oral hygiene. Heck, they might even fight you when you try to brush their teeth because, well…again, what kid that age actually wants to brush their teeth, right? However, there are some things you can do to keep your child from being so fussy when you’re cleaning their teeth.

For instance, let your kid have some control over their brushing routine. You can have them choose the type of toothpaste they can use or pick out a cool looking toothbrush that they like. I liked looking down the toothpaste aisle when I was younger because it was fun looking at the different flavors of toothpaste and the types of toothbrushes with superheroes and Disney characters on them. Simple things like that will make any kid happy and forget that brushing their teeth is a chore!

And when a child has good oral health, they may feel less anxious about going to the dentist. As a kid, I remember feeling especially nervous about my dentist appointments, because I felt like I wasn’t doing enough to keep my teeth clean. But when my dentist told me they were just doing a simple clean up of some plaque around my teeth and gums, I would feel relieved and proud that it wasn’t anything worse. Try to get your child into the habit of getting regular check-ups by their dentist. Not just for them to get used to being at the dentist’s office, but also for your dentist to see if there are any problems with your child’s teeth that parents may not have noticed. 

Dentists may seem scary, but they are genuinely there to help you and your kids. And as long as your child has good oral hygiene, they won’t have to worry about much at their next check-up. So parents, encourage your children to take care of their teeth and make sure to clean your own teeth too. If you suddenly stop caring about your teeth, then why would your children keep caring about theirs?