If you have children who are getting back into their school routines, take this opportunity to reinforce health oral hygiene habits as they start the new year! Our Glendale family dentists have a few specific recommendations that can help your family get and stay on track this school year.
1. Plan out your morning routine
As your child’s morning routine changes during the back to school transition, make sure that you allot enough time for proper dental hygiene. Keep in mind that adults and children should both be brushing for at least two minutes every morning and night. It may help to play a song that is about two minutes long while your child brushes, so that you can make sure you’re being thorough!
2. Emphasize health-boosting foods
If you pack a lunch for your child, you can include some foods that help to refresh your child’s smile throughout the day. Crunchy veggies, for example, like baby carrots and celery, scrape plaque from the dental surface as you chew. Any foods rich in water content and low in sugars will help your child’s body produce plenty of bacteria-neutralizing saliva.
3. Supply your kids with the right tools
You may want to send your child to school with a bit of floss, so that if food does become stuck between his or her teeth throughout the day, he or she can use floss to dislodge it, rather than picking at it with potentially more abrasive toothpicks. Another tool from which your child might benefit: if your child plays a sport in school, he or she may benefit from a personalized protective mouth guard.
We are here to help you make the best decisions for your child’s day to day health. You can always call our Glendale dentists to get more information and to schedule a personal consultation!