Start Your Kids Early With A Healthy Dental Routine

By Author: Julia Scott
Total Articles: 17
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Giving attention to one’s dental care is part of one’s overall healthy lifestyle. Habit, though, does not form overnight. It takes time for us to get accustomed to a certain practice, especially if we do not prioritize it at the first place. Dental care is everyone’s favorite daily routine. Some do it just for social pressure. Others even drag their feet to the dental clinic every six months. How do you prevent this indifference from forming in your kid’s behavior? Here are some suggestions.

Teach them the importance of teeth

Most people do not give teeth the credit they deserve. I mean—even in the case of aesthetics—have you seen young people without teeth? And that is just the vanity talking. Imagine the troubles you will face without your teeth. Your image is the least of your problems. You can only imagine the rest. Our teeth have always been there. In fact, the only times other people give them attention are when they start to ache and when blackened cavities start appearing. While your kids are still young, you have to make them understand that their teeth are as important as, say, their fingers ...
... or their nose. As long as your kids know what their teeth are worth, they will always take care of what they got.

Let them learn to love dental checkups

Okay. You got your kids to appreciate and care for their teeth. But you have to realize as well that kids can consider their parents as meddlesome. It can be quite a task for some parents to drag their children to the dental clinic. Of course, it won’t be a problem to train your kids to brush their teeth three times a day. But to snatch them from their toys or their X Box players and play stations—well, that might be a different story. You need to have your own method to get your children to love your dental clinic, a trip to their favorite fast food perhaps or a new toy.

Expose them to all the tools for dental care

Of course, you will have to start with the basic toothbrush and toothpaste duo. But, as they get older, you will have to introduce the other member of the gang. Sure, a mouthwash may be not recommended for a 3-year-old. But you can surely start training them to use dental floss when they start grade school. You can introduce mouthwash then when your kids can already handle the mouthwash’s sting. Although, when you think about it, there are already mouthwash brands that do not sting. It’s you and your dental clinic’s call.

Be a good example

You can’t tell your children to do something when you are doing the exact opposite. You have to always remember that children rarely listen to advice. They look at their elders for example. You can be both—the parents who give the proper advice and show your children that you practice what you preach. I am sure that when you have successfully utilized these methods, you will no longer worry about your children’s behavior toward dental care.

Julia Scott is the author of this article on dentist and dental clinic. Know more about Washington DC dentist and dental clinic Washington DC here.