Maintaining good dental health takes care, diligence and understanding. That’s where parents come in. Helping teach our children the importance of good dental hygiene will lay the foundation for a lifetime of clean mouths and beautiful smiles. During the course of several blogs on dental health, we’ll discuss everything from brushing properly to how to respond to a dental trauma, even how to get your kids ready for a visit to the dentist.  

It’s important to understand that our dental health is closely related to our overall health. Taking care of our teeth is not a cosmetic choice we add to our overall health care, and it shouldn’t be something we put off until we really need it. For our parents and grandparents, dental health was about a nice smile and being able to chew and eat, but there’s much more to the story now. Research shows that the condition of our teeth and mouths is directly related to our overall good health. The bacteria contributing to poor dental health can easily travel to other areas of the body and increase the risk of other health problems. 

With proper preventative maintenance, you and your family will be healthier overall and together with your dentist, you’ll nurture a healthy mouth rather than react to problems when they arise. Remembering some basic rules to live by is a good place to start. 

Establish a dental routine for your child by age 1.

Doing so will give you and your child valuable lessons early in his or her life. It’ll also allow your child to become comfortable with the practice and importance of dentistry early on. 

Parents can pass germs on to their children, so begin with your own health.

Sharing a spoon or even little kisses with your child can transfer bacteria that comes from bad oral hygiene and dental decay. Ensure that good hygiene runs in the family. Start with your own health and pass on your good habits.  

Limit snacking and frequent ingestion of sugary foods and fluids.

Sugar feeds bacteria and allows it to thrive and contribute to dental decay. Constant snacking and ingestion of sugary foods and fluids means continued introduction of acids that break down the enamel, the shiny coating, of your teeth. Put down the sugar and give your teeth a rest. 

Diligently practice daily oral hygiene.

It’s very important to brush your teeth at least twice a day. Exercising proper dental care should become a habit for your children. As a rule of thumb, flossing should start when your child’s teeth starting touching. 

Contact your dentist immediately in the event of a dental trauma.

Just like any other injury, timing is sensitive when treating a severe dental trauma. Seeking immediate attention and advice from your dentist will make a difference. 

Change your mindset.

Good dental health starts with prevention. It’s much easier to prevent disease than treat it. Recognize dentistry as part of your overall health and not an extra choice. 

To learn more about healthy living, please visit www.chw.org.