Having your child stay on top of their oral health care can be tricky. We get it because, at Sprout Pediatric Dentistry, most of us are parents ourselves!
You have to stay on top of a million things when raising kids. School, dinner, homework, practice, appointments, sleepovers, play dates—sometimes brushing and flossing can take a back seat to all this chaos! That’s why, with 2023 finally here, Dr. Amanda and the team at Sprout Pediatric Dentistry wanted to provide you with some easy tips for keeping your child’s smile healthy in the new year!
Make brushing fun
Sometimes kids can be more open to brushing their teeth if they associate the cleaning with fun! But what’s fun about brushing your teeth? Well, there are a few things we’re going to suggest that might make your child more open to cleaning their smile more often!
Fun toothpaste flavors: Tubes of toothpaste don’t just come in mint flavor anymore! There are plenty of trusted ADA-approved household brands that offer flavors of toothpaste that kids might like more! For example, if your child loves bubblegum—there’s a flavor for that. Or maybe they enjoy vanilla ice cream—there’s a flavor for that too! With websites like Amazon, it has never been easier to find toothpaste for your child that you can trust and they will adore.
Cool toothbrushes: Toothbrushes these days come in all shapes and sizes! If your child has a superhero or cartoon character they love to watch, you can probably find a themed toothbrush after that specific show or movie! Pair that brush with a story, like “Spiderman his teeth with this” or “The Paw Patrol recommends you use this brush,” and you might have a child anxious to brush their teeth ALL THE TIME!
Minimize sugar
Sugar intake is one of the more significant causes of oral health issues in children. If a child’s diet consists of lots of sugar and little to no brushing and flossing, we can be almost sure that their teeth will have problems at some point.
If you want to keep your child out of the dentist’s chair for cavity treatments, encouraging good brushing habits while limiting processed sugar intake is the best way to do it. Not only will your child’s smile look healthy and fabulous, but your family pediatrician will also be overjoyed!
“You can have candy if you brush your teeth after!”
If your child loves sugar, and you can’t keep them away from it permanently, you can do a few things!
At Sprout Pediatric Dentistry, we aren’t about to tell you how you should raise your child! Their diet is 100% your business, as well as theirs. Some parents don’t mind if their kids have sugar, while others don’t want their children to have sugar at all. However, we also know how much children love candy, cereal, ice cream, etc.
If your child wants a treat and is worried about cavities and gum health, you could let them have that food if they promise to clean their teeth afterward.
Note: At Sprout Pediatric Dentistry, we recommend you talk to your family pediatrician and clear any potential food allergies or health risks. We are not encouraging any sugar-based diet whatsoever.
Call Sprout Pediatric Dentistry today!
Dr. Amanda and her team have many recommendations to help your child’s smile have the best 2023! Of course, on top of all these pieces of advice, we strongly advise that your child should have two cleanings a year, one every six months! This will allow Dr. Amanda to stay on top of their oral health and ensure no significant problems develop as their smile grows.
Give us a call, or book an appointment online today!
