Improve Your Child’s Oral Health – John Pham, DMD – Happy Teeth Dental 

At Happy Teeth Dental, Dr. John Pham and his team understand that it can be difficult for parents to get their children to follow an appropriate regimen for oral health care. We want to help parents improve their child’s hygiene outside the dental office. With various tactics, children can be encouraged to pursue regular brushing and flossing, and to avoid certain habits that are bad for their smile. We believe early introduction of regular dental care will protect your child’s teeth from decay, and ensure awareness of dental health.  
To help parents employ these strategies, we offer the following advice: 

Adjust Your Child’s Diet

A balanced and healthy diet is an enormous part of helping your child gain and maintain a strong and attractive smile. Reducing the amount of sugary foods and beverages your son or daughter eats is a crucial step. Drinks such as soda or Gatorade® and foods loaded with sugar, including candy and some baked goods, can have a negative impact on their dental health. Sugars eat away at enamel and promotes bacterial growth. Even with consistent brushing and flossing habits, lots of sugar in a diet can be detrimental to your child’s health.

By contrast, a diet full of fruits and vegetables provides the important nutrients children need to support a growing smile. Unlike sugary foods, fruits and vegetables do not contribute to an increased risk for decay or infection, and their fibers can actually clean teeth, while their natural juices limit bacterial growth. 

Make Brushing and Flossing Fun

There are a few ways parents can tailor their child’s daily oral care experience to be more enjoyable. Tablets and smart phones provide regular entertainment to kids, while also introducing new methods of teaching them information. A number of apps include timers to help your kid stay on track while brushing and flossing, or they introduce an interactive experience with requiring consistent brushing and flossing. 

Using themed toothbrushes, flossers, or toothpastes designed for children can be another approach. Each of these offer a colorful way to support healthy habits while also distracting from the actual activity. 

Positive Reinforcement

Brushing teeth together with their children can be a simple way for parents to give hands-on support. Doing this can be a way to provide gentle guidance on proper brushing technique while also encouraging regular habits. Additionally, many kids respond well to a rewards system, encouraging them to earn a prize for pursuing a habit. 

Contact Happy Teeth Dental for Children’s Dental Care

Dr. John Pham loves helping children obtain their best smile. To learn more about improving your child’s dental care, call our Rosemead practice today for an appointment.