Caring for your offspring's teeth and gums for a healthy smile

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by: Danny Devon
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Word Count: 408
Date: Mon, 7 Feb 2011 Time: 11:17 PM
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Tooth decay is the most common childhood illness, yet it is largely preventable. Spending just a few minutes each day looking after your child's teeth will help to reduce the chance of them developing oral health problems and help to keep their teeth healthy.

Why is oral hygiene important?

Oral hygiene is important because it helps to keep the teeth and gums healthy and protects them against harmful bacteria. If you do not brush your teeth on a regular basis, bacteria and food deposits start to collect in the mouth and plaque starts to cling to the teeth; the protective enamel coating of the teeth becomes weakened and the teeth are then susceptible to decay. Bacteria also causes gum disease. Oral health problems can cause children a great deal of pain and may affect their performance at school.

Oral hygiene for babies

When your child is still very young, you will have to look after their teeth for them. You can start doing this before they even develop teeth, by gently wiping their gums using a special cloth or a brush with very soft bristles. Once their teeth start to erupt, brush them using special children's toothpaste and a soft brush. Encourage them to start holding the toothbrush as early as possible and once they can brush their own teeth, get them used to a daily routine of cleaning their teeth once in the morning and again in the evening.

Older children

As your children get older, encourage them to brush their teeth independently but supervise them to make sure they brush their teeth properly. Different oral hygiene products are available for children of different ages, so cosmetic dentists advise parents to try and buy products that correspond with the age of their child.

Encouraging children to brush their teeth

Most parents have struggled to get their child to brush their teeth and it can be a cause of huge tantrums. To combat this, try to get your child used to a daily oral hygiene routine as early as possible and try to make teeth cleaning fun. You can choose from lots of different child-friendly oral hygiene products and many have pictures of popular characters, which will encourage them to brush their teeth. You can also play games which involve cleaning their teeth and setting a good example by brushing your teeth in front of them, as studies show children often develop habits based on their parent's behaviour.

About the Author

If your child suffers a dental trauma then there are emergency dentists who can offer you support and assistance, to help you and your child come through such tough times.