We all want happy, bright smiles for our family, but keeping those smiles healthy can sometimes be a little bit of a challenge, especially when trying to get younger ones on board. Family dental health is absolutely essential, especially when you’re trying to avoid the stress and hassle of an unwanted dentist’s trips with a painful toothache or worse.
So how can you keep your family’s teeth nice and clean? Here are some simple tips to keep everyone’s smiles in top shape.
Start dental care early
You should start thinking about dental hygiene as soon as those first cute little teeth begin to pop out – this means around six months, when milk teeth first start to show.
Starting early means that you can prevent any dental issues from developing, and it also sets a positive habit in place. Create a routine of cleaning your baby’s teeth for two minutes twice a day, and make sure that you use a special children’s toothpaste, which contains less fluoride.
Enjoy a healthy diet
The health of your family’s teeth starts in the kitchen, especially the snack cupboard, and the food that you eat can help encourage stronger, healthier gums and teeth overall. Try and keep sugary snacks and drinks to a minimum, especially avoiding fizzy drinks, sweets and breakfast cereals that are high in added sugars. While you don’t need to cut them out completely, cutting them down to one or two servings a day can help improve you whole family’s diet.
Drink plenty of water
We all know that we should be drinking more water, and adding extra hydration is a great way of keeping your whole family’s health in good shape. Unlike sweet drinks, tea or coffee, water is a simple and effective way of keeping your teeth clean. Encourage drinking more water by giving everyone their own reusable special water bottle that they can fill up easily by themselves.
Start flossing early on
It’s a good idea to start flossing as soon as your children’s teeth start to touch each other, as food and plaque can easily start to build up here.
Make sure that your kids learn proper technique and practice to understand how to clean between teeth properly, and keep your bathroom cabinet well stocked with floss. Keep the information of a handy dental suppliers to hand so that you can find everything you need for your family online, without a fuss.
Stay on top of dental visits
Regular dental visits for everyone in the family are a must. As well as keeping on top of any teeth or gum issues, going regularly also means you’re less likely to develop the dreaded dental fear, as children learn that a trip to the dentist is a safe and pleasant trip.
Taking care of your family’s dental health means looking after your own too, so don’t neglect your own visits to make sure that your own smile is in great shape.