Before taking children to dentists or orthodontists, Calgary parents should consider enforcing stringent dental-care policies in the home. It’s no secret that children are often resistant to things like brushing properly and flossing. But because good dental health is essential to one’s lifelong well-being, this is one area where parents can actually serve their kids by applying a little bit of tough love. As important as it is to take your kids in for regular check-ups with dentists and orthodontists, Calgary parents should be aware that the everyday habits performed at home are by far the most important aspect of dental health.
Here are some ideas for encouraging your children to get into good dental-care habits.
1. Encourage good toothbrushing habits. Toothbrushing is not as simple as it seems; there are good ways and bad ways to do it, and kids who aren’t instructed in the best methods are liable to develop lazy habits. Here’s what to emphasize:
- Brushing your teeth should take at least two minutes, and it should be done 2 to 3 times per day. Using a timer helps.
- Hold the brush at a 45-degree angle in relation to the horizontal plane of the teeth.
- Don’t brush too hard, or you risk causing tooth sensitivity or receding gums.
- Brush all surfaces—outside and inside, as well as the chewing surfaces of the back teeth.
- Whenever you brush, do a quick once-over of the tongue and the roof of your mouth. It feels funny, but it helps get rid of bacteria.
2. Floss daily. Some parents operate under the mistaken assumption that children are too young to begin flossing. However, as all dentists and orthodontist (Calgary or elsewhere) will tell you, it’s never too early to get into this habit, even for kids who still have their baby teeth. Just like brushing, flossing is easy to learn. The best way to floss is to insert the floss between your teeth and drag it up and down the edge of each tooth. People who are new to flossing often find the process rather cumbersome, but once you get into the habit, it becomes as easy as brushing.
3. Good nutrition. As every parent knows, sugar is the bane of children’s dental health. For parents, it’s a good idea to limit children’s sugar intake, and to entirely cut out things like sodas and similarly unhealthy drinks. It’s also a good idea to limit starches and sugars to mealtimes, as the natural oral digestive processes that occur during meals help to flush out the sugars. Also, it’s good to brush soon after sugar or starch consumption. Meanwhile, eating a balanced diet full of good vitamins and nutrients greatly contributes to tooth and gum health, and it helps children’s jaws grow properly.
4. Get check-ups early and often. Dental visits should start soon after children begin to develop their teeth, and check-ups should continue every 6 months or so. Even when there are no obvious dental issues, it’s important to remember that prevention is a huge part of dental care. If you don’t know any local dentists or orthodontists, Calgary has many practitioners who can be found by doing a web search for “Orthodontists Calgary” or going to the Orthodontists Calgary section of the Canadian Association of Orthodontics website.
