Our dental hygienist Judy Zuniga and her daughter Zadie are sharing some helpful tips on how to teach our kids good oral health at a young age. They’ve put together four simple steps that you can practice at home to help maintain a healthy smile.

BRUSHING

Make sure your kids are brushing their teeth twice a day with a soft toothbrush, like the one in the video. Once in the morning after you have your breakfast and then again in the evening just before you go to bed. Parents, be sure you’re using toothpaste that contains fluoride because it helps prevent tooth decay.

FLOSSING

Sometimes food gets trapped in between your kid’s teeth and it can be so small it won’t bother them. Flossing can help you take all of that out! After they brush their teeth at night grab some floss and go in between every single tooth (See video for reference). This only needs to be done once, before they go to bed.

USE MOUTHWASH

The third step, to having healthy teeth is using mouthwash. After your child brushes and flosses, take a little bit of mouthwash and have them rinse their mouth. Remind them not to drink it!

EATING HEALTHY

Lastly, eating healthy foods leads to a healthy smile and teeth! Too much sugar like candy, cookies and soda can create cavities. And cavities can hurt! Talk to them about healthy foods like vegetables, fruits, nuts, meat and fish. Including them in the process of making healthy meals can help them learn to love healthy foods.

These 4 easy steps can help you help your kids manage a healthy smile. If they do develop cavities, don’t worry. Just make an appointment to see one of our dentist at any of our clinics!

LIFT THE LIP

Brushing your child’s teeth when they are little can be frustrating, but we have some tips to help you and your little one get through it together.

The first step to brushing your child’s teeth is making sure they’re in the right position. If your child is cooperative, the easiest way is to lay their head on your lap. Brush their teeth using a circular motion on the surface of every tooth, really focusing on the gum line area.

It's common for young children to cry while you try to brush their teeth. To make it a little easier, you can either use a two-person hold or a one-person method like this. Make sure their head and hands are secure, so you can brush while they cry.

We know it can be hard, but don’t worry. Just keep brushing and follow up with lots of hugs and kisses after.

We hope these two videos will help you help your children maintain healthy smiles! If they do develop cavities, don’t worry.

Just make an appointment to see one of our dentist at any of our clinics!