Dental hygiene is an important factor in maintaining your child’s health. Admittedly, it also remains as one of the most neglected aspect of health even amongst adults. Yet, the ill effects of not brushing one’s teeth, not going to the doctor or plainly the disregard for foods rich in calcium are the situations that can break your heart specially when your little one is involved.

Imagine trying to pacify your son or daughter experiencing a terrible toothache or convincing your child about a dental visit that should have been a pleasant and not a traumatic experience. Thus, prevention again is better than cure and that your best weapon is still the information you are armed with.

Teeth begins to form during second trimester; therefore, eating well as a mother during the formative years is important. When the first tooth already appears in your baby, then prepare that washcloth and run it over your baby’s gums and teeth to hinder any bacteria formation and invasion. A soft toothbrush can also be used but make sure that you are not inflicting injury in your baby’s sensitive organs. Simply put, starting them young will definitely help you when they grow older. This is because if you don’t start it as early, then, chances are, at the age of one, your child already suffers from cavities. Undoubtly, you would not want that to happen.

Make sure that your child visits your dentist by the time he turns one. Your dentist will identify potential problems and this will be the start of your child establishing rapport with his doctor. After some time, the application of Fluoride will be made as this element will harden the enamel and protect your child’s teeth from developing any cavity or dental disease.

As the visit is fixed, usually every three to six months, your kid will already be accustomed to the drill. Thankfully, the will not develop fear from visiting his dentist. The idea of brushing and flossing regularly will not be a major problem. When brushing though, always remind your child to spit the toothpaste and not to swallow it. Make it a habit to always check that your child brushes his teeth after meals. Supervision should be done for toddlers and a pea-sized amount as directed by toothpaste manufacturers is recommended.

Even if it sounds a bit strange, flossing should also be done with supervision especially with the younger kids.

Another important matter that should be tackled is the avoidance of sweets. This could be possible when your kid is still in the house. The problem happens when he already goes to school and has unlimited access to whatever he wants. The key is to instill discipline. Talk to your child about the importance of a healthy teeth. Your dentist’s role should not end in the clinic, it must extend in the home and in the school. Talk to your child’s teacher about your concerns. Your resolute determination in keeping your child’s teeth healthy will really make a difference until his adulthood.

Fillings, sealants, cleaning and other measures to keep the teeth healthy has evolved and will continue to change over time. Therefore, finding a dentist you can really trust will help a lot.

Ultimately, your child sticking to a healthy diet will ensure that everything that you are working on will pay off.