With summer coming to an end and the school year beginning, it’s important to think about healthy habits. Taking care of your kid’s teeth is very important. It has been shown that “poor oral health can mean missed school and lower grades.”
Dental pain or infections can interrupt your child’s daily routine and lead to a bad day for both you and your child. Let’s start this school year off with some helpful tips.
- Schedule a Dental visit
Make sure your child is up to date on their checkup at Stewart Family Dentistry. Not only will this make sure they have clean teeth but it will also make sure no problems are developing unnoticed. - Establish Healthy Habits
Make sure your child is brushing 2X a day. Younger kids will need the assistance of their parents until around the age of about 7. Brushing at night is the most important time. - Don’t Eat at night after brushing teeth
Brushing at night should be the last thing you do before bed. In addition, make sure to use a fluoride containing toothpaste for best results at cavity prevention. If your child won't spit, or eats the toothpaste, only use a rice grain amount. Once your child can spit, only a pea size amount of toothpaste is needed. - Eat Healthy meals and snacks
It is always a good idea to encourage healthy eating. Tooth friendly snacks include string cheese, vegetables, and fruit. You want to avoid sticky foods, like candy, or fruit roll ups as they can stick to your teeth and cause decay. - Drink Water
Water is a great choice instead of drinks sweetened with sugar or artificial sugar. You can always add fresh fruit slices to your drink if you want something a little sweeter. - Sealants
Ask us if dental sealants might be a good idea for your child once they start getting their permanent molars around the age of 6. These sealants act as a shield between the tooth and bacteria that causes cavities.Back to School