As a parent, nothing melts your heart like your child's precious smile. That's why it's important to teach them good oral health habits during childhood, which sets them up for smile success as adults. Here's what your children's dentists in Toowoomba want parents to know.
Brushing and Diet Habits Make a Difference
Did you know your little one should brush and floss daily, just like you do? They will need your assistance with these skills until around age seven or eight, but this is a great time to teach effective brushing skills. Even when they take over brushing and flossing on their own, parents should still check in to make sure their skills are effective.
Monitoring your child's diet and limiting sugary snacks and beverages also helps protect their oral health. You may be aware that sugar contributes to tooth decay and cavities, but here's how the process works: Bacteria build up in our mouths after meals and make their home in the white, filmy substance on our teeth called plaque. Sugar fuels these bacteria, and acid is their byproduct. Acid eats away at tooth enamel and eventually destroys it, causing a cavity. So, when you disrupt this process by brushing and flossing away plaque, the bacteria don't have time to damage your teeth.
Why Baby Teeth Deserve Just as Much Care
Parents often ask why caring for baby teeth matters if they're only going to fall out anyway. This is a great question. The truth is that baby teeth have several important jobs to perform before they fall out, which are:
- Introducing your child to solid foods
- Helping them form their first words and speak
- Guiding adult teeth into the correct positions
When to Bring Your Child In
Children should see their dentist every six months, just like their parents, as soon as their first teeth arrive. If you're looking for convenient children's dentistry in Toowoomba, contact our team on (07) 4646-2512.