Thursday, April 19, 2012

Children & Tooth Care

Hi friends! My family knows that I'm a big fan of the dentist.  I've always had a mad fascination with teeth.  I get excited to visit the dentist and always have.  I'm weird, yes. ;)  Ever since I was a young girl, I had my own system of teeth care, with all my tools tucked into my medicine cabinet.  I would pull out the little bucket every night and floss, brush, and swish!


 Yes, this is me & my major CHEESE shot

When I first started blogging, I wrote a couple teeth love posts here: floss until they're squeaky clean and here: Back to Basics Brushing.  My family teases me for loving those shiny whites so much, but that's just me.  Sooo, I assumed when I had my own kids that they would adopt my concern for teeth and love to care for them too.  Ummm, I was so wrong.  We have battled with teaching our kids proper teeth hygiene and I'm open to ALL lovely tips you all have for me.  I have one child that prefers to chew on his brush, one who just likes to skip it all together, and another who goes through the motions ineffectively. Boys drive this girl crazy! The only time they PERFECTLY brush their teeth is when it's out of their mouth, when they've lost a tooth.  Because by tradition, they know that the tooth fairy only takes VERY clean teeth.  I've shared some magical tooth fairy traditions before too, here: Tooth Fairy Tiptoes!


When I heard from topdentists.com , I was all about partnering with them for a post on teeth care tips, since it it heavy on my "Mama mind".  This is a guest message about my passion with proper teeth care  brought to you by topdentists.com



Tooth care can be a surprisingly difficult process for a number of people, simply because it involves constant care and unwavering vigilance. Even taking a few nights off from your normal tooth care routines can set you on a path toward allowing unhealthy teeth, which is why even people who have formed good habits their whole lives sometimes struggle to maintain healthy teeth. This is one reason that it is essential to teach your children proper dental habits and tooth care methods early in life – and this all starts with getting them to the dentist. It may seem like a simple step, but this can actually be a difficult matter. 

Consider the following tips and information as you think about ways to introduce your children to good tooth care habits and practices:

To begin with, you will need to find a dentist for your child, and this is often easier said than done. You need to find a dentist in your area who works with children, appeals to you as a parent, and has a good track record. One great way to start going about this search is to look online at a site like topdentists.com, which has resources for locating dentists in different areas. If nothing else, this can give you a list of names near where you live, and from there you can begin to gather more information on your potential dentist for your children.



Next, you will want to take your child in to meet his or her dentist before it is actually time for his or her first appointment. It is extremely common for children to be anxious or even fearful of dentists, simply because they are unfamiliar with the concept of tooth care when they are still young. Much of this anxiety is also born of the basic discomfort around strangers that so many young children share. Thus, allowing your child to meet his or her dentist in advance can take away a lot of the anxiety that surrounds the first appointment, and can in turn lead to a smoother relationship with the dentist’s office.



Finally, do not be afraid to be repetitive or insistent with regard to reinforcing your children’s dental habits. You may feel like you’re nagging if every single night you remind your children to brush and floss – and, be warned, you will probably annoy them! But in the long run, you will be doing them a favor, as developing strong habits early makes it less likely to allow lapses in dental care later in life. 


Thank you topdentists.com for your wise advice!  And I fully agree with that last statement. We are giving our children a GREAT GIFT by teaching them proper teeth care.  Now, I'm off to Pinterest to find some adorably creative ways to encourage my BOYS to care for their shiny whites.

Remember, I want to hear YOUR tips too
...pretty please and thank you. 



*This post was brought to you by topdentists.com
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28 comments:

KC & Elizabeth said...

LIsa,

I work for an Orthodontist and have given tooth brushing instructions to countless amounts of children with poor oral hygiene. And yes, boys are worse than girls. What I find works best is to give them a visual of what happens to the teeth when you don't brush and floss properly. Most of them have never seen what this looks like and having a visual really helps them understand all the nagging. So, google decalcification of the teeth, find a pretty scary looking picture, and post it on the bathroom mirror as a reminder of what can happen if you don't take care of your teeth. Also, remind them that decalcification is irreversible, once it happens it is there forever. Hope this helps!

Elizabeth Warnke

Nancy said...

YOU should have been a Dental Hygienist. I have to admit my passion for good oral hygiene has hit a lazy note. I tell people to floss all day long, but 9 out of 10 of them won't. Thinking of you with your little "tooth care" basket makes me smile though =)

b. said...

Gonna go brush my teeth right now. ;)

Samuel.Ricafort said...

Thank you very much for sharing this article, I really believe that dental care is very important.
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Maia Dobson said...

I agree with you that we should focus on our child's health particularly with their oral hygiene. My Bartlett dentist says that kids will become motivated to brush their teeth if their parents encourage them.

Helen said...

We use our teeth to grind the foods we intake everyday. It is only necessary to take care of it starting from a young age. Seeing a dentist for at least twice a year is a good advice.
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Erica White said...

My dentist Beverly Hills says that we need to teach our kids how to properly take care of their teeth at an early age. They need to know what a cavity is in order to prevent them from having teeth disorders.

Lanielle Bernadette Smith said...

According to my Sevierville cosmetic dentist, there's nothing wrong with being obsessed in maintaining healthy teeth. Our teeth is obviously crucial in our survival. Without them, we won't be able to eat properly.

Lori Ogan said...

It's very important to develop healthy dental habits of children while they're still young. Trust me, in the end, it's worth all the trouble.
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Samuel Wilson said...

I agree. It's the parents responsibility to develop these habits during their formative years since because children don't really do a lot of dental consulting.

andieclark said...

I admire you for teaching your kids on how to maintain their oral hygiene. You did a good job there. Everything that you do is going to benefit then and it will surely pay off. I always go to the dentist in Las Vegas with my kids to make sure their teeth are healthy.

Orlando Silas said...

He's got good teeth for a boy of his age, and you don't see that a lot nowadays. Good job!
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daniellaprice30 said...

I agree that we should instill good oral hygiene with our kids no matter how repetitive we sound. My Buckhead dentist always remind me that it's necessary so they will know the importance of good dental health even when they grow up.

Mathew Perkins said...

Oral hygiene in kids are really important and I think you should monitor your kids on their behavior on oral hygiene. Then visit your local dentist for check up.

Stew said...

Hello there! Is that your lovely boy smiling? I could tell that with those precious sets of teeth that you do have a fascination for that perfectly white smile. I wish my teeth whitening orange county dentist can grant the same for my 3-year-old boy. I'm sure in time I can post his picture as well. It's still in the works! :)

Unknown said...

I agree with Matthew Perkins. That's why I make it a habit to visit my Dentist in Pennant Hills to have the same lovely smile that your kid has. Great picture up there.

Lena Harris said...

Wow Lisa, based from that image, you have taken care of your teeth well. I visit my knoxville dentist every your for prophylaxis to keep my teeth healthy.

Marcella said...

How many times do you visit your dentist in a year, Lisa? I think you have a healthy set of teeth. My dentist in rockford il advises me to visit him at least once every quarter for cleaning and check up. Is it enough to keep my teeth healthy?

Victor Deloach said...

I have been looking for a gentle dental in boca raton for my children's dental care needs. I want them to have healthy teeth as you do when they grow up.

Christine White said...

My dental insurance in illinois strongly suggested natural ways on how to treat toothache. Either way, regular visit to your dentist is the most effective way to prevent cavities and other dental problems.

Xander Lawson said...

Keeping your child's teeth in top condition is usually an adventure unto itself. I can still remember chasing my son all over the house with a toothbrush, trying not to spill the toothpaste.

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Unknown said...

I am sitting here at my melbourne dentistry and I can't help but marvel at the beautiful teeth of your kid and of course, the amazing story you shared here. A bit enchanting and full of revelations. Keep sharing. Cheers!

Stew said...

I agree with Geoff above. If only I can have the same with my cosmetic dentist boca raton, but I can't afford not even a tooth extraction at this time. Waah!!!

Unknown said...

If there's one thing that I learned from my dentist in revere ma, that would be the importance of dental care as a little kid. If they are trained the right way while they are young, they're able to maintain a good life style as they grow older.

Unknown said...

I couldn't agree more that boys are worse than girls when it comes to proper oral hygiene. This is one of the reasons why the west columbia dental have launched campaigns in nearby community schools late last year to target boys dental habits and create action plans to get them started on regularly brushing their teeth.

Unknown said...

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