Tips for Parents to Encourage Healthy Smiles

February is National Children's Dental Health Month, an excellent time for parents to re-examine their children's oral habits and promote a lifetime of healthy teeth and gums.

Oral health is an important reflection of overall well-being in children, since it can greatly impact not only eating and speaking, but also their social, emotional, and physical growth. Moreover, poor oral health in children has also been linked to more school absences and worse academic performance. Each year, emergency dental care causes children to lose 34 million hours of school.

Tooth decay is the most common chronic condition with half of children ages 6-9 having had cavities in their teeth while 1 in 10 adolescents had at least one untreated cavity. Luckily, getting ahead on good oral hygiene can help lower the risk of tooth decay or of other conditions like gum disease and tooth loss.

Here are some helpful tips for parents to help them encourage healthy smiles:

Good oral habits
It’s important to encourage proper dental habits in kids early on. Parents should wipe their baby’s gums with a clean cloth after feeding and start to brush as soon as the first tooth comes in. It is recommended that kids brush their teeth for two minutes twice a day with a small amount of an ADA-approved toothpaste, making sure to brush the outer, inner and chewing surface of their teeth. It's also recommended for flossing to begin as soon as two teeth touch. Parents can supervise brushing until their kids can manage on their own and look into dental education kits and activity sheets for kids to help them practice proper tooth cleaning.

It’s also important to limit sugary food, snacks and drinks since these can promote tooth decay. Ensuring children's meals are well-balanced with essential nutrients is also a good way to preserve their dental and overall health. An appropriate diet can help youngsters' general health improve and help lower their risk of cavities and other dental issues.

Early dental visits
Research shows that 75% of parents did not know the right time to take their child to the dentist for the first time. The American Dental Association recommends parents take their child to the dentist after their first tooth appears, or no later than their first birthday. After that, children should see the dentist every 6 months much like adults.

Choosing the right dentist can be tough, so take time to review your resources to find the right dental professional for your child. Consult your family's dental plan to select in-network providers and for available resources to help promote healthy daily dental habits. Dental plans typically cover preventive care for all family members as part of their benefits.

Tap into teledentistry
Some dental plans now allow for telephone and video consultations in addition to covering in-person visits, which offer people a starting point for advice and guidance to help select, if needed, an appropriate setting for in-person care. Teledentistry allows children to access care right in their community, leading to fewer missed school days for in-person dental visits.

This method can help families have access to oral health care and eliminate the need for a visit to a dental office or clinic unless there is an oral disease that requires on-site treatment. Teledentistry is beneficial for families who need to travel long distances, who may not have transportation readily available or who may require childcare for the other children in the family.

Routine dental care and good daily oral habits are crucial to supporting children’s oral health and their overall well-being. It’s never too late to make changes to ensure a bright and healthy smile.