Sticking to a regular brushing routine can be quite challenging when your child starts teething. This is largely due to the fact that their teeth are too few and also because your toddler might jerk around during brushing. Nevertheless, many dentists recommend that parents instill healthy brushing habits in their kids as soon as they get their first teeth. Keeping your child’s teeth healthy and strong from an early age sets a firm foundation for a healthy and happier life. There are a number of benefits that you and your child can enjoy by keeping their teeth clean and healthy. Let us now briefly go over a few of these.
Provides a Foundation for Good Oral Hygiene Practices into Adulthood
As we mentioned at the outset, any good dentist will recommend that you start brushing your kid’s mouth as soon as they start teething. The reason for this is that breast milk and formula (which are what your toddler consumers in their early years) contain lactose sugars just like other ordinary foods. While these sugars are not too concentrated, they can still promote the growth and reproduction of bacteria, which can lead to gum problems if left to accumulate. It is therefore vital that you always wipe your baby’s gums with a soft and warm piece of cloth to get rid of food particles.
Once the milk teeth emerge, you can start brushing your kid’s teeth at least twice a day, and you should teach them how to do it the right way. If these healthy oral hygiene habits are inculcated early, your child will continue doing them as they grow older.
Teaches Healthy Dietary Habits from a Young Age
Good oral hygiene does not only involve regular brushing and flossing but also good dieting habits. For this reason, it is important to teach your child to abstain from sugary foods and beverages such as chocolate, candy, and soda. By ensuring that your child always eats a healthy diet, you will not only inculcate healthy dietary habits in them but also minimize their risk of developing lifestyle diseases such as obesity and diabetes.
It Guarantees Healthy Teeth into Adulthood
By taking proactive steps to care for your toddler’s teeth, you significantly reduce the chances of them developing tooth problems later in life. In contrast, if you neglect your child’s teeth when they are young, there is a very strong likelihood that they will develop structural and aesthetic problems in the future, which can cause health problems as well as poor self-esteem.
Cuts down on Future Dental Bills
Neglecting your child’s teeth not only sets them up for dental problems down the road but can also be very costly for you in the long run. Failure to brush regularly can lead to the accumulation of bacteria and plaque buildup, which can lead to cavities, periodontitis, and gum diseases. Remedying these problems can be a very costly affair which you would rather just avoid altogether by teaching your toddler healthy oral hygiene practices.
A Final Word
Training your child to take care of their teeth from an early age is something you should never leave to chance. While it might seem negligible at first, failure to teach them proper dental hygiene can lead to severe teeth problems and self-esteem issues in the future. Making annual visits to a kids’ dentist will also enable you to save money on treatment since any dental problems will be identified early and treated successfully.