15 Child Dental Care Tips for Healthy Smiles

As a parent, you want to provide the best care possible for your child. This not only means keeping their body healthy and their mind and spirit happy but also setting a sturdy foundation for good oral health. It is your responsibility to develop a dental care routine from the get-go that will provide your kids with a lifetime of bright, beautiful smiles, and you’ll be better equipped with our dental care tips for kids.

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Child Dental Care Tips Promote Great Oral Health

Here are 15 dental care tips and tricks that will keep your children grinning gorgeously for years to come.

1. Fight Baby Bottle Tooth Decay.

Avoid giving a bottle right before bed unless it’s filled with only water. The sugar in breast milk and formula can increase the potential for tooth decay on baby teeth.  Never put a child to sleep with a bottle as it could put your child at risk for cavities.

2. Take Your Child to the Dentist by Age One.

While your child may not be brushing on their own yet, the dentist will be able to examine your child’s gums, teeth, jaw, and bite, allowing them to discover any bottle tooth decay (or “bottle caries”) as well as any issues that can affect their oral health in the feature. In addition, your child can get acclimated to seeing the dentist, which is essential for laying the foundation to good dental habits from the beginning.

Related: Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late: Importance of Dental Treatment

3. Use Fluoride Toothpaste from the Start.

The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends that parents use fluoride toothpaste as soon as your baby gets her first tooth. Just a little bit is sufficient: the size of a grain of rice at first and then a pea-sized bit of toothpaste once your child turns 3. This can drastically decrease extensive cavity repair that is sometimes necessary in young kids as young as 2 years old.

4. Practice Good Oral Health Before Brushing Is Necessary

If your baby’s teeth have not emerged yet, you can still fight cavity-causing bacteria by “brushing” infant’s teeth once per day with tooth and gum wipes. Once they get their first tooth, you should then use a soft-bristled kid’s toothbrush with fluoride toothpaste.

5. Use the Correct Technique.

Aggressively brushing back and forth can damage your little one’s teeth and gums. Instead, tilt the bristles toward the gums and gently brush in little circles, being sure to touch every surface of every tooth (cheek side, chewing side, and tongue side).

6. See Your Dentist Regularly.

Most adults need a dental checkup and cleaning twice per year. Patients with cavities or gum disease may benefit from visits more than twice per year. The same goes for your child. If you’re worried about the cost, rest easy knowing that pediatric dental care is now required by most health insurance plans.

Related: How Often Should I Take My Kid to a Children’s Dentist?

7. Floss Daily.

It is normal for children to have spacing between their baby teeth, but for those that have teeth that are touching, it is important to floss. This isn’t optional, even for young kids. Sometimes you may have to entice your children to floss. Do whatever you can to motivate your kids to floss, except offering them candy, of course!

8. Lead By Example.

Show your kids that practicing good oral health is important and can even be fun. Every morning and every night, brush your teeth with them. Show them how to properly hold a toothbrush, correctly brush their teeth, use dental floss, and also use mouthwash (if your child is old enough).

9. Avoid Sugary Drinks.

It takes about 30 minutes for saliva to neutralize the acidity created by bacteria that cause tooth decay, so constant drinking of sugary drinks can increase the chances of tooth decay.  Instead of sugary sweets, have them munch on cheese, meats, nuts, or veggies instead.  Try to limit snacks to every three hours rather than every 30 minutes.  This will give the mouth time to recover. If they must drink soda or sweet fruit juice, have them do so through a straw because this limits their teeth’s exposure to the sugar. Limit their intake to only four ounces of sugary drinks per day.

10. Play It Safe.

Car accidents, biking, and accidents involving furniture are all common causes of dental trauma in kids under the age of 7. To reduce dental injuries, make sure your child rides in a car seat, wears a helmet when riding a bike, and uses a mouthguard when participating in contact sports.

11. Encourage Them to Brush at School.

A travel toothbrush is the perfect after-lunch companion for your child.

12. Make Them a High-Protein Breakfast.

Start your child’s day with a delicious breakfast rich in protein. Research has found that this limits their cravings for sweets later on in the day.

13. Remind Them to Brush.

When they get old enough to brush by themselves, remind them to do it before they leave for school and before they go to bed.

14. Use Fluoride Water.

Check to ensure your town’s water contains fluoride. If it doesn’t, consult your dentist and be sure to use a fluoride toothpaste.

Related: What Is the Best Toothpaste for Children?

15. Reward Them.

Every so often, play the role of the tooth fairy and reward your child for their stellar oral care.

It is easy to set your kids up for success. Follow these simple dental care tips, and your children will have stunning smiles for life.