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Children’s Dental Health Month is a month-long national health observance to promote the benefits of good dental health for children. This month-long focus is meant to help educate parents and children of the importance dental health plays from the early stages of a child’s life.
Help Children Form Good Dental Health Habits
Good dental health is more than just brushing and flossing. When your young child’s teeth begin erupting through their gums, it’s time to take your baby for his or her first appointment with us. Baby teeth are important to your child’s development and overall health. Teeth help your child, speak and smile. They also hold space in the jaws for permanent teeth that are growing under the gums. Learning healthy dental habits from the very beginning is essential and with good dental care you can help protect their teeth for their lifetime.
When Should You Take Your Toddler to the Dentist?
It is recommended that you take your toddler to the dentist by a year old, or within 6 months after his or her first tooth comes in. This is akin to a well-baby visit to the doctor. This is a time to examine your child’s teeth, and it’s also a time for parents to learn how to best care for your child’s teeth. A first experience in the dentist’s chair also acclimates your child to feel comfortable in that setting, which is essential when forming good dental habits.
Brushing Teeth Prevents Cavities
Tooth decay is preventable, yet it is the most common chronic disease among children in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 40 percent of children have decay by the time they reach kindergarten.
Brushing your child’s teeth is the main way to combat cavities and bacteria, but flossing between tiny teeth gets the food and plaque out of hard-to-reach places a toothbrush can’t. As your child’s dental health coach, they are looking to you for guidance in caring for their teeth. Brushing is a basic dental habit children will need for the rest of their lives.
