Do you remember the first time you started brushing your teeth? If not, that’s a good thing. For optimal dental health, all kids should start brushing young...very young.
This February is National Children’s Dental Health Month and it’s the perfect opportunity to remember how important proper oral hygiene is for kids. It’s also a good time to correct bad habits and start new beneficial ones.
The standard recommendation is for babies and toddlers to start visiting the dentist around their first birthday not long after they’ve started teething. Cavities, after all, can happen soon after teeth come in. From then on, kids should see a dentist every six months.
The standard recommendation is for babies and toddlers to start visiting the dentist around their first birthday not long after they’ve started teething. Cavities, after all, can happen soon after teeth come in. From then on, kids should see a dentist every six months.
Parents play an important role in maintaining good oral hygiene in their children. They should get into the habit of brushing their children’s teeth twice each day, both in the morning and in the evening. Not only does this help prevent problems from occurring in the new teeth coming in, but daily brushing provides the foundation for kids to get into their own routine of brushing. By doing so, they’ll learn to take care of their teeth their entire lives.
There are many other reasons why it’s important to brush and take care of baby teeth, even though new teeth are going to come in and replace them. Because toddlers learn to talk using their baby teeth, healthy teeth aid in speech development. Children also need healthy teeth to help them chew as they take in nutrition to fuel their growing bodies. It’s also important to understand that baby teeth serve as placeholders for permanent teeth. If the baby teeth aren’t healthy, the permanent teeth can have problems too.
National Children’s Dental Health Month is promoted by the American Dental Association (ADA). To find other information, visit the ADA’s National Children’s Dental Health Month web page.
Dr. Kurt Kacer, the owner of OrthoPros, treats patients in Northwest, East and Southwest Tucson. He provides a range of orthodontic treatments for children, teenagers, and adults, including Invisalign. OrthoPros is the Official Smile Provider of the Arizona Wildcats and is the exclusive home to the Block A Braces. More information about Dr. Kacer and OrthoPros can be found on his practice’s website, www.orthoprostucson.com.
