Are Your Kids Looking After Their Teeth?

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When your kids are still young, it’s your duty to keep their teeth clean. As they get older, they may start learning to brush their own teeth. This is where you need to be careful of giving them too much free reign too early – many kids can start to develop dental problems once they start brushing their own teeth, because they’re not brushing them properly. Below are just some tips on how to make sure that your kids are looking after their teeth. 

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Maintain a brushing schedule

If kids get into a habit of brushing every morning and night, it will eventually become second nature. You could make sure that they brush at a specific time, or you could create a strict bedtime and morning routine in which brushing is always done as part of the routine. Either way, you can be certain that your kids are brushing. 

Not having a schedule is where things can get dangerous, as kids may find it’s acceptable to skip brushing their teeth. Don’t allow kids to brush whenever they want – make sure it’s on your terms.

Know when to continue monitoring your kids

Young kids can start brushing their own teeth as early as 3. But it’s important to keep monitoring them and offer help/guidance to make sure that they’re brushing every part of their mouth. 

You should ideally be monitoring your kids every time they brush their teeth until they turn 7. You can then ensure that they are brushing their teeth properly.

Book a trip to the dentists

It’s worth finding a local clinic that specializes in pediatric dentistry and booking regular appointments. A dentist will be able to inspect the health of your kids’ teeth, which can help you to determine if a) there are any dental problems, and b) are they brushing their teeth properly. 

Once kids know that they will be going for regular check-ups at the dentist, they may be more motivated to look after their teeth. A good dentist will also be able to offer constructive advice on how your kids can improve their teeth in a friendly manner that may help encourage them to improve their dental hygiene (unless their teeth are perfect, in which case, well done – no improvements are needed!)

Look out for dental issues

A simple way to tell if your kids are looking after their teeth could be to simply look at their teeth. Cavities are a clear sign that your child isn’t keeping on top of your dental hygiene. Ideally, you want to spot the signs before it gets to this stage – yellowing or plaque build-ups could be things to look out for in your child’s smile, and they may be able to correct their brushing to stop this turning into decay.

Some bad habits like sucking a thumb can also lead to crooked teeth and you need to look out for any signs of misalignment. Fortunately, such problems can be corrected later by getting braces, however stopping bad habits early could reduce the severity of any crookedness. 

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Kori

Digital Product Creator at Kori at Home

Kori is a late diagnosed autistic/ADHD mom. She is currently located in Albany, NY where she is raising a neurodiverse family. Her older daughter is non-speaking autistic (and also has ADHD and Anxiety) and her youngest daughter is HSP/Gifted. A blogger, podcaster, writer, product creator, and coach; Kori shares autism family life- the highs, lows, messy, and real. Kori brings her own life experiences as an autistic woman combined with her adventures in momming to bring you the day-to-day of her life at home. Kori is on a mission to empower moms of autistic children to make informed parenting decisions with confidence and conviction.

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