Dentist In Harrisburg NC | Oral Health Tips
Oral Health Success Plan For The School Year
It’s a great time of year to highlight the importance of good oral health care for your children. As we know, poor oral health can impact negatively on the performance of children at school. So, in order to help your child truly get ready for the new school year, we are offering here some back-to-school oral health tips.
Provide and Encourage Healthy Foods
The choice of foods that your kids consume is a major factor in whether or not they will have good oral health now and in the future. Poor food choices can mean that it is almost certain that the child would have to contend with pediatric and adult dental issues in their lifetime. This is why it is so critical that you do all you can to make sure that children consume foods that are considered to be “oral health-friendly”. Encourage them to take healthy snacks, including:
- Fruits & vegetables
- Nuts and cheese
As oppossed to consuming
- Candy & cookies
- Sodas, sports drinks and other unhealthy snacks
Make healthy foods that are pre-prepared available in your refrigerator for easy-to-go meals and snacks. You can also have your child accompany you when going shopping for healthful foods and have them participate in the process of selecting oral health-friendly foods.
Taking Breakfast Is A Must
The breakfast process can sometimes feel like a daunting time consuming task for some parents, but it is highly beneficial to make certain that your children eats breakfast at home every day. Research reveals that children who eat breakfast, especially one containing a high amount of protein, can help in promoting good oral health by so doing for the reason that it reduces cravings for harmful foods during the day considerably.
Emphasize Brushing and Flossing
Make sure that your children brush and floss daily; this may require first that you teach them the importance of these daily oral care practices, especially if they are still very young. Before leaving for school, ensure that they brush their teeth. It may be advisable to supervise this in certain cases.
It may help to let them choose the best toothpaste and brush they’d like to use for brushing. If possible, you may also provide your child with a toothbrush to clean his or her teeth after eating while at school.
Lead By Example
Your actions as a parent, in terms of oral health care, can influence your children considerably. It’s not enough to simply enlighten your kids on what to do; you must also demonstrate the right way to do it consistently. For example, you can brush side-by-side with them or make sure that they always see you eating healthily, even when snacking. Such displays will have greater impact than merely instructing them.
Encourage Use of Straw
It may not be entirely possible to make your kid stay away from sugary drinks and soda completely. A more effective means of protecting their teeth may be by making sure that they use a straw whenever they are consuming such beverages. Encourage them to always try to a straw if they are taking sugary drinks.
Visit Our Dentist Office In Harrisburg For Same-Day Appointments
The period before or at the start of a school year is perfect for taking your child to visit Icard & Strein Family Dentistry in Harrisburg for examinations and cleanings. You should also try to bring them in to the dentist office every six months or no less than once per year. These annual visits eill healp to drive home the importance of good oral health care while they are still young to help them inculcate the habit for life.
Our Harrisburg NC Dentist Office
To learn more about dental treatments from Icard & Strein Family Dentistry, or to schedule an appointment, call our Harrisburg, NC dental office today at 704.455.5003.
