The weather is finally beginning to warm up in the Las Vegas Valley and your kids are probably starting to play outside more often without having to put on a jacket or bundle up for cool temperatures. Spring will be here before you know it, so a spring cleaning task list is probably an item you’ll soon be working on. One important task to add to the cleaning list is your child’s next dental appointment that includes their annual checkup and cleaning. While your child’s teeth may not be at the top of your spring cleaning list, they should be an important part of it. Many parents make the mistake of not taking oral hygiene seriously and that can result in a mouth full of cavities for your kid.
Tooth Brushing Techniques for Children
There are a handful of common mistakes that parents make when it comes to keeping their child’s mouth healthy and clean. One of the biggest flubs that parents make is letting their child brush alone. If you are sending your child to their bathroom to brush their teeth alone, it is most likely that they are not brushing long enough, not brushing properly or even not brushing at all. Most children do not have the hand skills to brush effectively until they are eight years old so it is extremely important that parents supervise the teeth brushing until the child is old enough and has proved that they can properly brush their teeth on their own.
Avoid Putting your Toddler to Bed with a Juice Bottle
Giving your toddler a bottle when putting them down for the night may seem like a fast and easy way to get them to sleep and keep them happy at the same time. Many parents use this method to avoid a tantrum or getting up due to crying. Putting your infant to bed with a bottle is the fastest way to cause tooth decay, especially when bottles or juice cups are filled with any type of fruit juice. These drinks will cause a great deal of damage to your child’s teeth and before you know it they will have to have their cavities treated. The habit of giving your child a sippy cup or bottle at night or throughout the entire day for that matter will keep the sugar and bacteria levels in the mouth elevated all of the time. Contact Smile Reef today to schedule your child’s “spring cleaning” and ensure healthy oral hygiene.
