How you treat your child's teeth will have a big say in how confident they are with their smile when they are adults

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by: Timmy SP
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Word Count: 430
Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2010 Time: 2:23 AM
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Oral hygiene is really important but almost every parent will have battled with their child over cleaning their teeth at some point; some children refuse to clean their teeth, others pretend to clean them and some throw huge tantrums to avoid having to go near a toothbrush.

Start the routine early

In order to try and avoid problems with teeth cleaning it is beneficial for parents to introduce their children to a good daily oral hygiene routine from a very early age; when children are still very small, parents will have to clean their teeth for them but as they grow up it is important to teach them how to do it themselves. Children who are accustomed to a daily routine which includes teeth cleaning in the morning and evening are more likely to enjoy good oral health.

Make teeth cleaning fun

In order to make teeth cleaning fun, parents can try to set challenges, offer rewards and join in teeth cleaning with their kids; offer a challenge which involves racing to the bathroom, cleaning teeth and getting ready for bed, for example. Children will also feel more inclined to brush their teeth if they see their parents brushing their teeth, so make sure you try and set a good example for your children to follow.

Many oral hygiene products are now aimed at children, which should help them to get excited about cleaning their teeth; toothpaste and toothbrushes come in bright colours with stickers and pictures of well-known children's characters, for example. You can also use characters or people your child admires to encourage them to brush their teeth; for example, say to them, look Superman brushes his teeth if your child has a Superman toothbrush. Toothpaste and mouthwash are designed to taste nice so that children enjoy brushing their teeth.

Reward those good little ones

Rewarding good behaviour will help children to get involved with oral hygiene; when they are older you can also start to teach them about the benefits of healthy eating and the importance of looking after their teeth. As children get older and start to learn about different parts of the body, try to talk to them about their teeth and gums and discuss why good oral health is important and how they can make sure they have healthy teeth and gums.

If your child is a fussy eater and doesn't want to try certain foods, try to set a good example and use popular characters or family members as examples; for instance, encourage children to eat spinach because it gave Popeye big muscles.

About the Author

You really cannot underestimate the importance of oral health when your children are developing. The early stages can have an adverse effect on their later adult teeth, so you don't want your child to have to get treatment like crowns or bridges for their decayed teeth. But, if it does come to this, then woodborough house dental practice can offer your a number of options to make sure teeth are the best they can be, including the wonderful implants at woodborough house.