As parents, we just want the best for our children, and this also includes their dental health. While there are a variety of things that you can do and tips that you can follow to ensure good oral health in your kiddos, these six dental tips are the ones we recommend focusing on most with your toddlers.

Baby Bottle Tooth Decay

Have you ever been told by someone to not send your kiddos to bed with anything but a bottle of water at most? This is because substances in the bottle such as milk, formula, juice, and other sugary beverages can increase the bacteria in your childs mouth. This bacteria then begins to increase the likelihood of tooth decay developing.

Time to Rid the Pacifier

For those parents that had babies that took to a pacifier or binky, you understand how amazing they can be for soothing a fussy child, reducing the risk of SIDS by engaging their sucking reflex especially as a newborn, and more. However, if allowed or utilized too long, it can lead to irregular shaping of the roof of the mouth, causing crooked teeth, or worse, an unaligned jaw.

While we can’t always avoid using a pacifier, limit the use and set a deadline to have your child completely weaned off of it by.

Healthy Lifestyle Choices

While this one may seem like common sense, it can be easy to fall into bad habits with how busy our lives can get. It’s easiest to get into a daily routine that includes a consistent schedule of waking up and going to sleep, brushing teeth twice daily, fueling up with nutritious food choices, and staying hydrated. 

Start Young

One of the best ways to introduce a quality dental hygiene plan is to start your children young. After feedings, it is recommended that you use a wet gauze or soft wash cloth to go inside of their mouths and wipe around their gums. Once teeth begin to pop through, you can use a soft bristled tooth brush and begin brushing their teeth regularly. This way, they will be used to it and get into a routine before they are old enough to even remember when they started.

Get Creative

Make their dental hygiene routine a fun time for them! You can do this by getting them an electric toothbrush, buying their favorite toothpaste flavor, incorporating their favorite Disney characters, or rewarding them when they consistently do a good job.

Regular Visits

As always, regular visits to your favorite family dental practice will help to ensure strong oral hygiene. Visiting the dentist at least twice a year can help reduce the risk of serious mouth diseases and maintain your families oral health. 

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