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Safeguard your Kid’s Oral Health Today for a Better Tomorrow

Teaching your children proper brushing and flossing techniques can help secure their oral health & prevent common dental problems. While maintaining optimum dental health is essential for everyone irrespective of their age, inculcating healthy dental habits in kids can possibly shun the fear associated with dental appointments. Good oral hygiene not just starts from home, but with the help of a proficient pediatric dentist in St. Louis who recommends procedures that pave the way for a long term oral health.

Significance of Dental Care:

The health of your children’s teeth and gums determines their overall physical wellbeing. Improper dental hygiene not just lead to problems such as tooth decay, gum disease and tooth loss, but also puts one at high risk of Alzheimer’s, diabetes and heart disease!

You’d also end up spending for expensive procedures to restore dental health from problems such as tooth cavities. Leaving such problems unattended can result in loss of tooth.

As prevention is better than cure, proper dental hygiene is imperative to prevent the aforesaid complications. Usage of modern dental treatments, fluoride toothpastes and proper cleansing methods are best ways to combat tooth cavities.

8 Tips for You:

If you’re puzzled as to how you can impart ideal dental health for your kids, follow these tips as suggested by pediatric dentists:

  1. Start oral hygiene habits at the earliest. Clean your child’s gums and newly erupted teeth gently and carefully after each feeding.
  1. When your child’s teeth come in, brush them using a soft toothbrush and fluoridated toothpaste.
  1. As soon as your child turns 3, teach them accurate brushing techniques using a small amount of fluoridated toothpaste. Guide them through the process and by the age of 6, he/she would master the skill. You could then teach them how to floss.
  2. Using fluoridated toothpaste isn’t sufficient to ensure good oral health. Analyze if the water you use is fluoridated as well. If not, your dentist would recommend alternate options with you.
  1. Protect your children from tooth decay by not letting them sleep with a bottle filled with sugar containing fluids. When their teeth are exposed to such fluids for a longer period of time, the chances of tooth decay increases by many folds.
  1. Avoid sugar at all costs. After intake of sugar, it will take a minimum of 30 minutes for the saliva to neutralize the acid content produced by bacteria. Consumption of a sugary snack every hour means that your child’s mouth is filled with acid and that the chances for tooth decay will increase.
  1. Keep an eye on your children as most dental injuries are caused due to them playing close to home furniture.
  1. Visit your pediatric dentist regularly. They would teach you how to prevent dental problems, will check for cavities and ensure that consistent oral hygiene is maintained for your kids.

Now is the time to develop and cultivate dental hygiene habits for your child. Visit a pediatric dentist in St. Louis to know about your kid’s oral health & the ways in which it can be enhanced for a safer tomorrow.

Resource Box:

The author is a pediatric dentist in St. Louis and is working at Pediatric Dentistry of Sunset Hills for more than 3 years. For more information, visit stldentistforkids.com or click https://plus.google.com/+PediatricDentistrySunsetHills/about