As another year draws to a close, our pediatric team is truly grateful to be able to help your child’s developing smile stay healthy and strong. We understand the importance of setting a solid oral foundation while your child is young so their oral health encourages a lifetime of smiles! Why not use the holidays as a way to help them focus on their oral health by supplying them with special oral hygiene products that make brushing and flossing fun?
Tooth-Friendly Strategies
1- Schedule your child’s first dental appointment by the time they are one year old: One of the best gifts you can give your baby or toddler is to make sure they get their first dental appointment by the time they turn one. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, (AAPD) encourages parents to have their child’s smile evaluated within six months of the time their first tooth comes in. This is to help ensure the baby tooth is coming in properly to make way for their permanent teeth to come in as they should later. By allowing our dentists to spot any problems early and review their daily oral hygiene care with you, you can help guide their dental growth in the healthiest way possible.
2-Make your child’s daily care fun: Provide them with the tools they need for healthy teeth and gums while they grow and help them build healthy habits! Set a timer to a song they love to help them brush twice a day for two minutes each time. Making it fun means they’ll want to do it and enjoy it more.
Thanks to the holidays, you can close out the year and give them the resources they need to start the year out working on their smiles with these tooth-friendly holiday gifts!
Gifts for Your Child’s Healthy Smile
-Flavored toothpaste you know they will love and look forward to using.
-A timer they can set while they brush for two minutes.
-For younger children, toothbrushes in their favorite cartoon characters or superheroes. For older children and teens a powered toothbrush can make their job easy and thorough.
-Flossing tools such as floss threaders, dental floss tape, oral irrigator, whatever they can easily use.
-A special dental hygiene kit for older kids that has fun travel-sized toothbrushes, toothpaste, mouthwash, flossing picks and wax (for kids in braces) along with a small mirror.
-For your teen, tooth whitening products such as special toothpaste, whitening strips, and over-the-counter kits.
-Delicious, healthy snacks like protein-packed nuts, dark chocolate, and their favorite sugar-free gum instead of traditional candy canes, peppermint bark and caramel toffee treats that are popular this time of year.
-A mouth guard if they are active in contact sports or other high-impact recreational activities.
The holidays are the perfect time to reinforce your child’s healthy smile! Please call if you have any questions about your child’s smile. Our Sugarbug pediatric dental team in Oxnard, California, wishes your family a wonderful holiday season with great oral health!