Healthy Teeth Keep Your Kids at the Top of the Class

Dental pain, tooth decay, and related problems are responsible for more than 50 billion missed school hours per year. Children with healthy teeth who see a pediatric dentist regularly do better in class, and participate more fully in school and leisure activities. To help your kids perform at their best, reinforce good oral hygiene habits like twice-daily brushing, daily flossing, limiting starchy and sugary snacks’ and keeping scheduled appointments with your kid’s dentist. Here are even more tips to help you keep your kids' teeth healthy throughout the year.

Choose the Right Brush

For small children, be sure to choose a toothbrush that is made for small hands and mouths. Supervise brushing until your child is at least seven years old, and be sure to replace toothbrushes after three months or sooner if the bristles are frayed.

Say Cheese!

Cheese is a healthy snack that provides calcium and phosphorus to help fight cavities and re-mineralize teeth. Many types of cheese stimulate the salivary glands and clear the mouth to protect teeth from harmful acids. Serve cheese as a snack or at the end of meals.

Seal Out Decay

If your child is prone to developing tooth decay, ask your pediatric dentist about dental sealants. A sealant is a plastic material that is painted onto children's teeth and allowed to harden. It prevents food and plaque from depositing into small pits and grooves on the tooth’s chewing surfaces, so teeth are protected from harmful acids that cause decay.

Pediatric Dentistry Isn’t Just for Toddlers

When your child becomes a teen, he or she will face important oral health challenges, including the emergence of wisdom teeth, facial and jaw growth, and changes in diet. Pediatric dentistry addresses these needs and helps your teen build a solid foundation for lifelong dental health, so don’t skip appointments with your kid's dentist just because he or she is getting older.