Dental care in childhood can affect your child’s oral health later in life. Some tips can help you prepare him for a healthy future.
1. Children like to imitate parents and older siblings. Let your child know you take oral care seriously. When you floss and brush with him, he will want to imitate these grown-up habits.
2. Your child wants to feel special. Take him with you when you shop for his very own dental care products.
3. Set a good example in choosing healthy foods and beverages. If you do not want your child to consume soda pop, candy, and other unhealthy products, he can learn from your example when you make healthier choices, too.
4. Dental care away from home is important, too. Make sure he has an extra set of oral care products for his school backpack, and when he has sleepovers at his friend’s home.
5. Depending on his age, find appropriate educational materials on oral tips and dental health. You can find storybooks and coloring books for young children, and more scientific material for older kids.
6. Most children do best with structure and routines. Set appropriate schedules for oral care, and make it part of his daily life.
7. Always be willing to answer his questions. He may ask why he needs to brush at bedtime and after each meal, or why you have given him a certain type of toothbrush. When he shows interest in dental tips, it is the ideal time to present answers and reasons.
8. Your child may have a friend who is not interested in oral care. Let him know your family practices dental care even if his friends do not share the same healthy habits.
9. Your child needs routine visits to the dentist, starting when he is very young. Remind him why these visits are so important.
10. Encourage your child to talk to the dentist and the staff. When he knows he can ask questions, his visits will be a better experience.
Whether your child is a toddler or a preteen, dental care today can give him a solid foundation for a lifetime of oral health.