Monitoring the dental health of your children can be a pretty difficult task. Kids don't generally want to go to the dentist and might not want to brush their teeth as often as you would like. However, youth is the most important time to develop good dental habits that will last a lifetime. To help make sure that your kids' teeth will be pristine and healthy, here are some quick tips for toddlers and children in general:

Toddlers

If you've got toddlers, then now is the best time to start thinking about their teeth. There are two important things that you will want to keep in mind: avoid sugary drinks and don't let them drink or eat right before napping.

Sugary drinks are just as dangerous to toddler teeth as they are to those of adults. Even though the baby teeth will fall out eventually, you really don't want them to get decay this early in their lives. Tooth decay can cause a great deal of pain and might lead to the teeth falling out long before they are due. It's also important to reinforce good eating and drinking habits early in life. Avoiding sugary drinks now will do a great deal in reducing the chances of a dependency on sugary drinks later.

Consuming food right before bed is generally a pretty bad idea because it allows bacteria to sit in your mouth for a long time before your next brushing or flossing. Adults generally consider the morning and evening to be good times for brushing and flossing, but for toddlers, you might want to consider some brushing and flossing before any naps.

General Tips

You'll want to get your child started on brushing their teeth as soon as possible. If they are very young, then you should carefully check to make sure that they spit everything out when they are done.

Your bigger problem is likely finding a toothbrush and toothpaste that your kid is willing to use. If you can, you should try to use an electric toothbrush for your children. Using an electric toothbrush means that more bacteria will be removed from the teeth. While some children might have difficulty with thoroughly brushing each tooth, an electric toothbrush removes some of that burden and can essentially shake off the bacteria with vibrations.

Your child might also be very opposed to flossing. If there is blood after flossing, then you should not be alarmed. After about a week, the bleeding should stop as the gums become accustomed to flossing. If the gums continue to bleed, then you might want to consult your dentist to determine if your child needs to use specialized dental hygiene products.

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