Keeping Your Children's Teeth Healthy In Between Dental Visits
When you have young children, it's never too early to start thinking about their oral health. You can start taking your child to the dentist early, even as early as one year old. While your child may not have many teeth at this point, it is beneficial to start bringing your child to the dentist so that they can get used to the routine. In addition, paying attention to the foods that your child eats can make a big difference in their oral health. As your child gets older, teaching them about foods that will help their teeth and liquids that are healthy to drink will help keep their teeth clean in between dental visits.
Leafy Crunchy Vegetables Help Clean the Teeth
Leafy, crunchy vegetables provide more than good nutrition for your growing children. Crunchy vegetables act as a mild abrasive on the teeth, helping to keep teeth clean in between brushing. When you encourage your children to eat crunchy vegetables, you are providing the nutrients their teeth and gums need to be healthy and giving a boost to their brushing efforts.
Nutrients for Good Dental Health
Your teeth need Vitamin D and calcium in order to grow strong. Drinking milk and eating dairy products are good to provide your child with calcium. Cheese, egg yolks and fortified cereals contain adequate amounts of Vitamin D. In addition, good amounts of Vitamin C help keep your gums healthy, promoting circulation that helps prevent gum disease. Vitamin C is found in most citrus products, although drinking too much orange juice can wear down the enamel on your teeth.
The Best Drinks for Your Children
Water is always the best drink to give your children, as it cleans out their mouth and rids the mouth of harmful bacteria that can cause cavities. Sugary drinks promote tooth decay, while acidic juices can cause problems with enamel. Milk is great for your children to drink, but most people choose lower fat milk to reduce the overall fat intake for their children. When your child is thirsty, choose water as often as possible.
In between dental visits, take the time each morning and night to brush your child's teeth with them. Use child sized