National Children’s Dental Health Month

 

Happy February from Amundson Dental Associates. February is National Children’s Dental Health Month which makes it the perfect time for our team at Amundson Dental Associates to review some of the important steps in keeping your child’s smile happy and healthy. Keep reading to discover how you can help your child maintain a smile that will last a lifetime.

Oral hygiene is important at every stage of your child’s development, even before the first tooth appears. For infant oral hygiene, wipe the gums with a washcloth after meal times. Once teeth are erupting, use an infant toothbrush with water or a smear of training toothpaste to clean the teeth. At the toddler stage, as soon as your child is interested in brushing, allow them to help! But parents should still brush for them both morning and night. Your child should use no more than a pea-sized amount of toothpaste.

Getting your child interested in oral hygiene can be difficult at times. We recommend trying to make it as much fun as possible. Turn brushing into a game with rewards. You can also purchase character toothbrushes or electric toothbrushes. While your child brushes you can play a song that is about 2 mins to ensure they are brushing for the appropriate length of time.

An important part of maintaining a healthy smile is maintaining a healthy diet! Feed your child healthy snacks like carrot sticks, apple slices, celery, or goldfish crackers. You should avoid giving your child fruit snacks, they do not have fruit in them. The less sugary foods are, the more those foods can help prevent the risk of tooth decay. The City of Grand Forks has a small amount of fluoride in the water, which further reduces the risk for tooth decay.

Your child should begin visiting us around the age of 3 unless the parent or pediatrician notices something of concern. Some children may experience anxiety about their dental appointments so it’s crucial to make them as comfortable as possible before they visit us. Read books about dentists and talk positively about your visits even if you are nervous yourself.

If you have any questions or concerns or want to learn more, our team is always happy to discuss them with you—any time of year! We can’t wait to see you and your family in our office again soon. We look forward to seeing you!

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