Advances in Mental Health

Dental health is one of the most important aspects of a person's general health. In fact, poor dental health contributes to very serious diseases and can even lead to death because it lowers your immune system. One of the greatest gifts you can give to your children is to help them learn how to take proper care of their teeth.

At Home Care - The key word is consistency. 

• A good rule is that, every time you eat, you follow with cleaning your teeth and your gums. And, that rule applies to snacks, too!
• Help little children to learn how to brush their teeth in an up-and-down motion, and remind them to give their tongue a bit of brushing, too. It's a good idea for them to brush as long as it takes to sing the ABC song.
• One of the hardest things for children to learn is to floss. Because that's so important, you will probably have to do it for them until they get the hang of it. Consider giving them a flosser to use while they're soaking in the tub.
• Children usually love charts. Give them a gold star for each day that they follow good dental care, including choosing healthy snacks rather than candy or other sweets.

At The Dental Office - Start early!

• While your children are still very little, make an appointment for them to visit a pediatric dentist. This first visit is for them just to get to know what it's like to sit in the dental chair and to have somebody's fingers in their mouth. A good pediatric dentist will even allow your children to hold the instruments that will eventually be used.
• When your children return for a treatment, the dental hygienist will clean their teeth and periodically x-rays will be taken. The dentist will follow-up by checking x-rays and making sure there are no problem areas that need extra care.
• Don't hesitate to let your children go back to the dental room by themselves. The staff in a pediatric dentist office is trained to make their little patients feel safe and comfortable. Of course, having you in the waiting room in case of a problem is important, too.
• Your children will probably go home with a goodie bag that contains a new toothbrush, a small tube of tooth paste, a tiny box of floss and a little toy. No wonder they love to go back to the dentist!

Congratulations on teaching your children proper dental care. To learn more about pediatric dentistry, contact a dental clinic like North Phoenix Pediatric Dentistry.