Creating a Good Oral Health Routine for Children

As a parent, you have a responsibility to teach your kids about good oral health. Habits that form in childhood go on to become lifelong habits. Teaching your children good oral hygiene will help in the prevention of cavities, tooth decay, and other issues. 

Dental diseases in childhood can result in serious health problems that can affect an individual for years. Here are tips for creating a good oral health routine for children. 

Teach Kids About Oral Health

The first step in creating a good oral health routine is teaching your children its importance. Simply telling your kids to do something without explaining why it is vital is not helpful. They need to know why they should take care of their teeth and gums. 

Educating them about gum disease and cavities from a young age is paramount. Teach them the correct way to brush and floss and let them know the necessity of getting rid of plaque.  

Setting Up an Effective Routine

Kids are too young to set up an oral health routine themselves. As a parent, set up the routine and make sure that the kids stick to it. Be assertive about it—you can come up with a sticker chart to keep the kids involved. 

The kids can put a sticker on the chart after brushing and flossing. You can also include brushing and flossing as part of the nighttime or morning ritual. 

Making Oral Hygiene Fun

Teaching your kids to brush their teeth two times a day is vital. This can become redundant after a while. However, it is necessary to make the process fun. One way to ensure that your kids follow a routine is to make it fun or play a toothbrushing game. 

Make brushing and flossing fun, especially for younger kids. Come up with a game or song that will get the kids excited about the activity. Allow the kids to choose toothbrushes in colors and shapes that they love. 

Leading by Example

You can help create a good oral health routine for your kids by setting a good example. Brushing your teeth with your kids when they are young will allow them to understand the importance of oral hygiene. 

This will also allow you to teach them how to do it correctly. As they watch you do it, your kids will feel grown-up when they brush and floss correctly. 

Create a Reward System

Kids love rewards, and it is a great way to motivate them to do something well. Creating a reward system will allow the kids to understand that they are doing something good by brushing and flossing. 

Come up with small gifts or prizes that you can give at the end of each week or after accomplishing set goals. You can get gold stickers to use on the brushing chart after each cleaning session. 

Most kids are ready to brush and floss unaided by the time they are three years old. However, this does not mean that they should do it unsupervised. Constantly reinforce the importance of good oral care. 

For more on creating a good oral health routine for children, visit The Center for Cosmetic and Family Dentistry at our offices in Destin, Panama City Beach, or Navarre, Florida. You can call 850-810-0300, 850-810-0600, or 850-409-6400 today to schedule an appointment.