Oral Health Education: Need of Time

Oral health education is a continual process involving imparting knowledge on the importance of oral hygiene to promote good oral health. One of the most overlooked but important aspects of child rearing is oral health education. The oral health of a child is vital from the moment they are born up to adulthood.

Pre-teething care

Even before the first milk teeth erupt, it is important to start taking care of your child’s oral health. After feeding, it is recommended that you clean your baby’s gums with a damp clean cloth or gauze pad. Additionally, do not put your baby to sleep with any other food or drink other than water. This will ensure that your baby’s mouth stays as clean as possible during sleep, as this is the time when bacteria can cause harm in the mouth.

After eruption

Once the baby’s teeth erupt, you can now start introducing brushing as part of your baby’s oral hygiene. At this point, you can only use a non-fluoride toothpaste or just water because using fluoride toothpaste at this point may be risky. Always use a baby-sized toothbrush for this.

You can also begin flossing at this point once you see at least two teeth appear. After the age of two, you can begin using a pea-sized toothpaste to brush your baby’s teeth. As they grow up, you may want to let them start brushing their own teeth. It is, however,important to note that children from the time they are born up to when they are nine years old cannot really know how to brush their teeth properly. However, you can start training them as early as possible so they can get accustomed. Train them to brush and floss twice a day or as recommended by a dentist.

Dental Check-ups

Dental check-ups should start as soon as your child reaches one year. During these dental visits, your dentists will check your child’s teeth development and give the necessary recommendations such as fluorides. Throughout the development of your child’s teeth, your dentist should be able to identify any anomalies and administer the necessary treatment.This is also the time when they can have professional teeth cleaning. Many dental clinics,such as Springvale dental Clinic offer such services and are happy to steer your child’s oral health education into their adulthood.

This practice should continue well into their teens when the dentist can recommend braces or other dental treatments such as wisdom teeth extraction.

Once children are adults and you feel they can take care of their oral health, do not stop checking up on them and reminding them of what they need to do. Children, especially teenagers, can slack on their oral hygiene,and it is, therefore,essential to help them make it a habit.

Diet

One of the most critical aspects of oral hygiene is diet. If you start feeding your child unhealthy snacks with lots of sugar and bacteria-inhibiting foods, you may have to deal with tooth decay later in their teenage or adulthood. Therefore, train your child/children to eat healthy foods,so they are not addicted to sugar.

Bottom Line

In summary, oral health education is important from the onset. This means that frequent visits to the dentist will be inevitable. Springvale Dental Clinic offers professional oral health advice and also offer professional teeth cleaning services along with other dental care services.