GeneralThought for Tooth: 5 Tips to Take Care of Your Toddler’s Teeth

Unlike adults, toddlers usually do not have problems much less serious since they are more inclined to try new things. Toddlers play around with their peers, and have fun at such a tender age. Unfortunately, the only time a serious problem occurs to these kids is when they suffer from toothache.

But this problem is not only the toddler’s even though they are the ones who are suffering from it. This is also the toddler’s parents’ problem, especially the mothers who cannot stand seeing their kids in pain because of the toothache. Hence, listed below are the five tips to take care of their toddler’s teeth to avoid toothache.

1. Teach Proper Dental Hygiene

Healthy gums and teeth are essential to your toddler’s well-being because they do not only help your toddler eat, chew, and speak properly. They also help your toddler gain confidence because a person’s teeth are what usually people notice.

Thus, you must teach your toddler to gently brush their teeth and gums for at least twice a day, once in the morning and the evening before bedtime. Move the brush in a circular motion to clean the teeth and gums’ inner and outer portions.  It is also vital to concentrate on brushing back and forth the chewing surfaces of your toddler’s teeth. Indeed, it is equally essential to teach your toddler to brush his tongue.

You must also teach your toddler to floss by wrapping it around their middle fingers and moving it up and down around each tooth through their index fingers. One of the notable benefits of flossing is to get rid of the food residues that get stuck between teeth. These food residues contribute to the build-up of dental-plaque that will eventually lead to cavities, gum disease, and tooth decay.

2. Get Sufficient Fluoride

Brushing and flossing your toddler’s teeth and gums are not enough to prevent cavities and tooth decay. Getting sufficient fluoride for your toddler is a must, as this fluoride is vital to your toddler’s dental health. This prevents or reduces cavities’ build-up. It also helps build strong teeth and healthy gums.

Your toddler can get fluoride from drinking water. They can also get it from various kinds of toothpaste that contain fluoride. However, it is necessary to seek a dentist’s advice concerning fluoride usage since too much fluoride may cause tooth discoloration.

3. Get a Dental Checkup Regularly

A toddler must begin to get a regular dental checkup because they are not yet aware of their gums and teeth complexities. Only by visiting a dentist will they receive a proper explanation about the importance of having healthy gums and teeth. If you’re in Australia, particularly the Brisbane area, try to visit a Family Dentist in Brisbane for your child’s dental well-being.

The purpose of these regular visits and checkups is to detect problems early and provide a cure for tooth decay and toothaches. These will also help them develop a habit of visiting the dentist as they grow older without fear.

4. Cut Back on Sugary Foods and Drinks

It is essential to teach your toddlers to make healthy food choices and form healthy eating habits. Sugary foods and drinks are a known source of cavities. And as mentioned earlier, these are the sole responsible for tooth decay and toothache. Thus, your toddlers must avoid too much sugar intake, and below are some of the common sugary foods and drinks that must be consumed in moderation.

Chocolate

A 70% chocolate bar contains about 30% sugar, while a 55% chocolate bar contains about 45% sugar. If these chocolates are not taken in moderation, then it will cause severe damage to your toddler’s teeth, especially to his health since too much of this will cause diabetes.

Soda

Colas, orange sodas, sparkling juices, and sweetened bottled ice teas contain 39 to 44 grams of sugar. Excessive drinking of these sugar-rich drinks has adverse impacts on your toddler’s health. Not only does it increase the chances of tooth decay, but it also increases the risk of obesity and heart disease.

Candies

Full-sized and commercially sold candies contain about 20 to 35 grams of sugar. Too much consumption of these candies can rot your toddler’s teeth since they cause cavities. Furthermore, research shows that excessive sugar eating will eventually lead to heart failure, heart attacks, and strokes. Hence, it is incumbent upon you to prevent your toddler from developing these diseases.

5. Make Dental Care Fun

You should make dental care fun for your toddlers so that they will love and enjoy taking care of their gums and teeth. You may allow your kids to choose the toothbrush that they like. Colorful toothbrushes are appealing to them. You can also play a song while your toddler is brushing and flossing his teeth so he won’t get bored.

Also, cutting back on sugary foods and drinks does not have to be too challenging for your toddler. After all, being a kid involves enjoying all these treats. However, you may give your toddler sweet treats only moderately and seasonally, especially on Christmas or Halloween. Lastly, you can make and blend fruit juices that do not contain added sugars as an alternative to sodas.

Takeaway

In a nutshell, it is incumbent upon you as your toddler’s parent or steward to help your child appreciate the importance of having healthy gums and teeth so that they will learn to take care of them at an early age. Moreover, this is the best time to train your toddler for them to develop and cultivate this healthy habit as they grow old.

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