Get Ready for Dental Health Month!

Parents, did you know that February is Children’s Dental Health Month? This is the opportune time to discuss the role of oral health in your children’s lives. Starting good dental hygiene habits (brushing, flossing, limiting snacking, watching sugars) while they are young can help fortify them in your children’s lives now and for years to come. In this article, you will learn more about dental health month and what you can do to really bring it home this month!

What is Dental Health Month?

Dental health month is an event that occurs annually in the U.S. during the month of February. During this time period, dental professionals around the country focus on providing citizens with information about preventative care and other dental related topics.

Many studies have shown that neglecting to maintain a healthy oral care regime contributes to several other health problems such as heart disease, strokes, respiratory diseases and diabetes. This campaign is meant to bring awareness to people about these dangers and motivate them into improving their diet and oral hygiene habits for life.

Tips for Making Dental Health Month Educational for Kids

Bad dental habits can lead to expensive and sometimes painful problems down the road such as root canals or losing teeth. There are plenty of ways parents can make regular visits more appealing for their children and to help them make oral hygiene a priority.

Avoid Sweets

Repeatedly having sugary candy or pastries in front of kids teaches them that they should have sweets between meals. Because candy and other sweets rot teeth, many dentists recommend sharing healthy snacks such as fruits and vegetables–which also promote good dental health. If you do give your child a sweet between meals, make sure it’s sugar free and comes in bite-sized pieces so that they don’t overindulge.

Brush Regularly

Parents should brush their kids’ teeth for them when they’re young to form the habit of daily brushing at an early age. As children get older, they can then assume responsibility for their own brushing by making it into a game or by timing themselves with a timer to ensure proper cleaning time.

Learn First-Aid

Most dental accidents happen at home, which is why it’s important to teach kids the difference between a first-aid kit for cuts and bruises and one meant for treating an injury on their teeth or gums. In addition, teaching children how to rinse out their mouths with water as soon as they swallow something that may damage teeth is an effective way of preventing tooth decay.

Childhood Tooth Decay Facts

The prevalence of early childhood caries (ECC) is on the rise. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry reports 10%-20% of school-aged children have ECC. Children who already have dental cavities are 15 times more likely to develop diabetes and 4 times more likely to suffer obesity than their peers without oral health concerns, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

We Are In This Together!

Preventing cavities is better than treating cavities.  We work together with parents to keep children’s mouths healthy from birth to adulthood!

A visit to Dr. Cat when children are infants/toddlers helps them be more comfortable in our dental home for future dental visits.  Building positive connections between dental treatment and visits leads to success with oral health now and in years to come.

Children that have infant dental exams and frequent visits biannually after, have a reduced risk of developing dental phobias. We can work together to keep them healthy and happy! Call us at 813-576-0200 today to schedule an infant dental exam today!