How to Set Your Child Up Now for a Lifetime of Great Dental Health

You worry about all aspects of your child’s development, but one area that many parents fail to appreciate fully is oral health — specifically that a lifetime of good oral health starts as early as six months, before your child even has any visible teeth.

Here at Arya Dental in Fullerton, California, Dr. Saeed Mokhayeri and Dr. Hengameh Safarcherati are committed to partnering with parents and their kids to make sure those kids have a lifetime of great dental health. They’ve put together this guide to give you the how-tos on setting your child up for future dental success.

Start oral health care in infancy

Your baby’s first tooth likely won’t break through the gum tissue until they’re about six months old, but you should start your oral care routine before that time. If you ensure the gums are healthy, the baby teeth (or primary teeth) that come in will likely be healthy, too. Some tips include:

• Wipe down your baby’s gums after feeding with a soft washcloth to remove bacteria that cause tooth decay.
• Brush teeth twice a day with a rice grain-sized smear of fluoride toothpaste and a soft-bristle toothbrush when teeth start to erupt. 
• Take away the bottle when your child finishes drinking to prevent baby bottle tooth decay.
• Set up your child’s first dental appointment after their first tooth becomes visible or before their first birthday, whichever comes first. 

Step up oral care in toddlers and youngsters

Most kids will have all 20 of their primary teeth by the time they’re three, and their first permanent tooth — and baby tooth loss — at about age six. By age 2 ½-3, you need to step up the care to prevent cavities that often plague the soft baby teeth. Some tips include:

• Brush teeth with a pea-sized dab of fluoride toothpaste and have your child spit out the paste after they’re done.
• Brush teeth a minimum of two minutes twice a day. Make sure to include their back teeth, too, as they’re cavity-prone. 
• Start flossing as soon as teeth begin to touch, or even earlier to create good dental habits. 
• Help your child brush and floss. Show them how you do it, since kids learn by example. 
• Make dental appointments every six months for maintenance and preventive care. 

Kids at this age get easily bored, so it helps if you can find some way to make the act of brushing and flossing their teeth fun. Have them mimic your actions, give small prizes if they successfully brush and floss every day each week, use a power toothbrush or a colorful manual one, or turn dental care into a game, rewarding them with praise when they do it right.

Regular dental appointments are also important, as we make sure all teeth are coming in normally, check to see there is no developing decay, perform deep cleaning, and implement preventive measures such as applying topical fluoride and dental sealants. We’ll also look for adverse habits such as thumb sucking that may influence how the teeth develop, and make suggestions for how to correct the problem.

Make wise food choices

When you eat, bacteria inside the mouth digest the sugars present in the foods, creating an acidic environment that can destroy tooth structure and eventually lead to cavities. This process lasts about 20 minutes, so cleaning out the mouth directly following a meal can eliminate both the bacteria and the sugars.

Consuming a lot of sugary foods and drinks can increase the chance of tooth decay, and if your brushing and flossing routines fall short, decay can lead to large cavities, gum disease, and eventually the possible loss of teeth.

As a parent, you have control over most of what your child eats and drinks, as well as their brushing and flossing routine. Here are some tips for keeping their mouths healthy and happy:

• Avoid giving your child sticky foods.
• Choose nutritious snacks, such as fruits, vegetables, and nuts.
• Encourage brushing, flossing, and rinsing, especially after eating.
• Include treats as a part of meals to dilute the sugars.
• Limit the frequency of meals and snacking in between.
• Provide tap water for drinking, as it contains cavity-preventing fluoride.

Do you want to set your child up for a lifetime of great dental health? The experts at Arya Dental are here to support you every step of the way. Give us a call at 714-646-9546 to set up an appointment, or book your appointment online.