This February, Celebrate National Children’s Dental Health With Us

Feb 01, 2022

Nothing swells a parent’s heart than when their little one is strong and healthy and developing as they should. One of the excellent gifts you can give your little one is proper health care. And dental care is a facet of your child’s health. That’s why as a practice, we have decided to celebrate this month with you at our children’s dentistry in Westwood, NJ.

If your child develops proper oral hygiene and is able to visit our dentist for regular checkups, they will be on the road to healthy gums and teeth.

Tooth decay is the most chronic issue that kids face and is seven times more prevalent than hay fever and five times more prevalent than asthma. Dental issues account for close to 51 million hours of missing school. Without proper dental care, the dental issues may result in pain and suffering, resulting in issues with speaking and eating that can disrupt their schooling.

How Did It All Start?

February has been the children’s dental month for close to seven decades. It started way back in February 1949 when the ADA (American Dental Association) dedicated a day to children’s dental health. Then, in 1955 it became a week-long event. Fast forward to 1981 where it officially became a month-long event.

So, Why Choose a Whole Month?

When we have a whole month dedicated to kids’ dental care, it helps us emphasize the need for proper oral hygiene for these little teeth. If it is possible to help our little ones develop healthy oral hygiene habits, they can be on their merry way to healthy teeth.

The month-long event is an awesome way of showing our kids how to care for their teeth and the essence of flossing and brushing.

How Can Your Family Join In the Fun?

There are countless ways for you and your family to join in the fun; you only have to let your creative juices to flow! But you can try out some of these few ideas:

Swap your kid’s old brushes for new and fun ones. But as you know, toothbrushes should only be used for three months
Let your kids use their senses and play “Guess the toothpaste flavor.”See if they can tell the difference between mint, bubblegum and other flavors, just ensure that they don’t swallow the toothpaste
Have a flossing contest and keep track of how many days they floss in a row. Ensure that you reward them for their efforts

You can expand this list and use your creativity to ensure that your kids start developing excellent dental habits that they can use for an entire lifetime.

Some Tips to Help You Care for Your Kid’s Teeth

Oral hygiene doesn’t begin when your child’s first pearly white shows up, but way before. When they are still infants, you need to use a soft washcloth to clean those gums after meals. This will mean that bacteria will not have time to stick on the gums.

After your baby’s teeth have come in, you can now begin to brush their little teeth. It is vital to care for your child’s primary teeth since they are the ones that aid your babyto chew and talk. So, you need to use a pea-sized amount of toothpaste and help them brush their teeth. Ensure that they spit out the toothpaste.

You can start flossing their teeth once their teeth touch. Also, don’t forget the dental visits after every six months.

As the primary teeth fall out and the permanent ones come in, you should have established a pattern that your kid follows to keep the gums and teeth healthy. Remind your preteens to brush after meals and floss each day. Encourage those playing sports to wear mouthguards to protect their teeth from trauma.

If your kid wears braces, give them the correct toothbrush to help remove food debris stuck in the braces.

Don’t forget to bring them for dental checkups and cleanings. During these visits, they can receive fluoride treatment to strengthen their developing teeth.

The Takeaway

The whole point of participating in the children’s dental health month is to create awareness that kids’ dental care is essential. Also, to help your kids develop proper oral health habits that will ensure that their teeth are healthy and strong.

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