Watching out for the health of your toddler’s teeth is a full-time job. The same recommended oral hygiene recommended by our Troy family dentist office for an adult applies to your toddler as well.
A Foundation for a Lifetime of Healthy Smiles
Maintaining a routine of proper brushing and flossing after meals and before bedtime will provide a foundation for regular oral hygiene routines for the whole family. However, even though there are similarities, oral health care for your toddler also has some important differences.
As baby teeth are developing, permanent adult teeth are already forming in the jaw. Providing care for your toddler at this stage will go a long way towards developing healthy adult teeth. Also, teaching good dental habits at an early age can lay an important foundation for your child’s future oral health.
How Routine Preventive Dental Care Helps
As a toddler, your child should already be receiving routine preventive dental care. The team at the Troy family dentist office can assess your child’s dental and skeletal development and discuss proper at-home oral health care routines. As a parent, there are things you should do as well between dental visits, to protect your toddler’s teeth:
- Enjoy healthy food choices. Choosing a variety of healthy fruits and vegetables to serve is good for the entire body, especially your toddler’s developing teeth.
- As toddlers grow and begin to gain some independence, they will enjoy feeding themselves. Remember that frequent exposure to sugary or even healthy fruit drinks can lead to tooth decay. Offer water instead and encouraging brushing between snacks whenever possible.
- Maintain a regular routine of brushing and flossing. Toddlers will enjoy the independence of brushing their own teeth at least once a day. If your child’s efforts are not perfect, that’s okay. Simply introducing the idea and maintaining a routine will send an important message to your child.
- Prevent your child from eating fluoridated toothpastes to prevent damage to the developing permanent teeth. Look for training toothpastes for children who have not yet learned to spit after brushing.
We want your child to develop a lifetime habit of good oral hygiene. The sooner your toddler becomes accustomed to regular visits to the dentist, the more likely they are to maintain this important routine as they get older. Please call our office to arrange your child’s next dental appointment!