The beginning of a young person’s life is an incredibly important period, one which often heavily influences the kind of person your child will grow up to be.
As a parent, it’s your job to teach your child a number of skills and habits that he / she needs in order to live a long, healthy life; proper dental hygiene is one such skill set which you should teach your child.
The team at Shelbourne Dental Clinic here in Dublin would like to share these nuggets of information which you should teach your child about the importance of good oral health:
Encourage good habits
It is so important that you teach your child to brush twice a day and floss once a day. A good way to do this is to set up a daily routine which you and your child follow without fail. You might also consider rewarding your child for quality brushing.
Discourage bad habits
As your child grows up, you should begin to discourage certain bad habits. For example, we all know that consuming food and drinks that are high in sugar will lead to cavities and toothaches. And we also know that a persistent thumb sucking habit can cause problems for the proper growth of the teeth and jaws – leading to bite problems and malpositioned teeth. Eliminating bad habits early in life will ensure that your child has a healthy smile for many years to come.
Teach by example – Talk Is Cheap!
We are all familiar with the expression “Action speaks louder than words” – Children are most heavily influenced by Actions. “Practice What You Preach” – before you teach your child proper dental hygiene, you need to ensure that you practice proper dental hygiene yourself. If you ever have any questions about good oral health habits either for you or your child, please ask your dentist or hygienist or give us a call!
Find A Good Dentist…. Early!
Your child’s first dental visit can often be one of the most important of their lives; their first dental experience will usually affect how they view dentistry and dental treatment as adults. For most children, we find that a trip to the dentist is fun, assuming they start going early enough to only need preventive treatment. Find yourself a good dentist & bring your child along from an early age – doing this will help prevent more serious needs in the future, it also instills good dental hygiene from an early age.
