When it comes to teaching kids about the importance of dental care, undoubtedly the most difficult age group to teach would be those under age 5. Like anything else, many kids cannot compute why brushing and flossing and other dental-related activities are important. They just have heard, usually from parents, that brushing is a part of life and that it is important that everyone does it.
But the trick when it comes to dental advice does not lie in the details; it actually revolves around teaching the right things to a particular age group in a way that they can comprehend the information. Since tooth decay can begin at the age of 1, instructing kids about the hazardous effects of poor oral care — such as pain, infection, tooth loss, etc. — is important.
Luckily, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and the Mouth Monsters are there to help. They provide advice on how to communicate with children of all ages, while also giving themselves tips at the same time. They can be found at the following link (http://mouthmonsters.mychildrensteeth.org/) along with a lot of very helpful tips for helping your child do great with dental care.
For children from birth to 2 years old, most parents are aware that a baby’s mouth and gums should be cleaned and that they should not be put to bed with anything other than water. Maybe the most important aspect is bringing your child in after one year and getting him or her acclimated to regular visits. As your child ages, he or she should have already developed expectations for a dental visit and a rapport with his or her dentist that should pay amazing dividends as they continue to grow up receiving dental care.
The same could be said for some kids between the ages of 2-5. They are still developing social and situational confidence and part of that includes maintaining a strong dental regimen. At this stage parents are supposed to brush their kids’ teeth twice a day while visiting a dentist every six months while flossing between any two teeth that are touching. Also, this stage is important for parents to ingrain lessons to their kids, like limiting juice intake and the amount and choices for snacks per day.
And when it comes to school-age children, parental supervision with oral hygiene is advised until the age of 7 or 8. Parents should continue to instruct their kids about the benefits of oral care and teach them how to eventually do things themselves. Also, this age is notorious for excessive access to sugary, carbonated beverages and sports drinks as sports and leisure activities start to increase. These beverages can quickly decalcify and weaken enamel and must be limited in quantity.
About Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontic Specialists of Michigan, the offices of Drs. Delaney, Plunkett, Ralstrom, Makowski, Thanasas, Ker, and Associates
Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontic Specialists of Michigan have specialized in pediatric dentistry and orthodontics since 1968. Our family-friendly office gives patients and families a more comfortable and consistent experience with dentistry from the very beginning. The pediatric dentists treat children from newborn to 18 years of age while our orthodontists provide care for both children and adults, including being an Invisalign preferred provider. The ability to treat all special needs patients reaches beyond our facility, which has treatment rooms available for children who require additional privacy. Valued hospital affiliations allow dental services to be performed at DMC Children’s Hospital and St. John’s Hospital Macomb when needed. Our specialists are also on staff at Henry Ford and Beaumont hospitals.
