Are you worried about your little one’s oral health? If you are, good for you. As you can probably guess, if your child has clean, healthy teeth while they’re young, they’ll probably develop healthy habits that can last for year to come. But, what can you do to help your little one develop these healthy habits?
Clearly one of the first things you should do is limit the amount of sugar your child has in a day. Despite what you may believe, your child is not born with a sweet tooth. In fact, most children will generally accept homemade, nutritious foods when they are around six months old.
Speaking of tooth decay, baby bottle decay can be a huge problem for your child’s teeth. You see, if you give your baby a bottle at bed time, liquid can pool in their mouth. This is especially problematic if you give your baby milk when they sleep, exposing their teeth to sugar for longer than necessary. If your child must have a bottle to sleep, try filling it with water.
Finally, try to make oral care fun. Give your child flavored toothpaste and fun toothbrush. Scare tactics will probably not be effective. Instead try to help your child appreciate what good oral health will do for them. Teach them to brush and floss properly by doing so yourself.
If you would like to learn more, or are interested in scheduling an appointment with Dr. Derek Lichter, please feel free to contact Derek M. Lichter, DDS, Inc. at 619-591-8945.
