Oral health is one of the most significant facets of healthcare. It is extremely important that we care for our teeth, gums and mouth throughout our lives if we wish to stay healthy and to prevent any serious oral issues and diseases. In order to have proper oral health throughout our lives, good maintenance of our mouths and teeth should be minded from the time we are very young.
Keeping children interested in oral health is never an easy task. Kids often fight and argue with parents about brushing their teeth. Nonetheless, caring for their teeth and mouth is extremely important and is should be something that is stressed to a child. Luckily, there are ways to try and entice your children into maintaining good oral health.
By incorporating dental activities into your child’s life, they will become more aware and knowledgeable of how our teeth work and how they are affected by certain circumstances. For instance, if you put a hardboiled egg into a dark liquid such as soda or grape juice and leave it for 24 hours, it will become discolored. Let your child be a part of this process and when the egg has been sitting for the entire timeframe, allow them to pull the egg out and brush it gently with a toothbrush and toothpaste. The egg’s shell will become whiter and the stain will disappear. Explain the correlation of the egg’s surface and our teeth. Let them see how our teeth are affected by what we eat and what happens if we don’t brush them.
Teach your children how to properly brush their teeth by demonstrating it in creative ways. Pretend to brush the teeth of one of their favorite stuffed animals or perhaps let them use paint and a paintbrush on white paper. Show them the proper brushstrokes for brushing teeth this way.
Whatever you do, make brushing teeth fun for your child! The more it feels like a chore, the less likely they’ll be to do it. Purchase a toothbrush with their favorite cartoon character on it or let them pick out their own toothbrush and toothpaste. Make the process as engaging as possible.
Keeping children interested in oral health is difficult, but as long as you stay on top of it and find new and exciting ways to teach them about their mouths, they will soon learn the importance of brushing, flossing and caring for their teeth the proper way!