As a parent, life can
get very busy. There’s so much to do and remember for work, for your kids, for
you, personally, that things can sometimes get forgotten. Your kids’ dental habits shouldn’t be one of them. However, we
understand it can be tough to manage it all, so we’ve put together a list of kid’s
dental hygiene essentials every busy parent should have.
1.
Give Your Kids a Tooth-Brushing Calendar. For busy parents, one tool that might help is
a daily tooth-brushing calendar to make sure your kids are brushing their teeth
twice a day and using floss at least once a day. Your kids could check off or
place a sticker on each calendar day and time they’ve successfully brushed and
flossed their teeth. Create a rewards system as an extra motivator. If they
keep to their daily brushing schedule for a week or a month, then they could
get a fun reward, like a trip to the movies or getting a DVD or toy they’ve
been wanting. The reward can be whatever you think is best for your household,
but it might give them some extra incentive to do well that week or month when
it comes to brushing and flossing their teeth.
If your child is too
young to brush his teeth on his own, recruit an older sibling to help. If he
has no older siblings, schedule times that you and your spouse (or other family
member) can take turns helping your child brush his teeth.
2.
Keep their dental appointments a priority. Make sure your kids are seeing a dentist every
six months. Schedule their dental appointments ahead of time. If you can’t find
a time to take them, ask a friend or family member if they can help.
3.
Compile a travel kit for your car that includes:
·
Toothpaste
·
Toothbrushes
·
Floss
·
Water
·
Healthy Snacks like
granola bars
Whether you’re taking
a vacation, a weekend trip or just running a few errands, being prepared when
traveling can help safeguard your kids’ dental habits. Leave this travel kit in
your car or grab it on your way out. If your kids forget their toothbrush and
toothpaste on a trip, they’ll have backups; if they need to floss after eating
a hearty meal, they won’t have to do without; and if they get hungry or
thirsty, you won’t have to resort to junk food because you’ll have healthy
snacks available (This can be a money-saver, too!).
4. Stock your house with extra:
·
Toothpaste
·
Floss
·
Toothbrushes
·
Straws
·
Healthy Snacks
Having extra
toothbrushes, toothpaste and floss stored in the bathroom is a good idea,
especially if you’re really busy. It can be hard to make runs to the store for
just a couple of items if you’ve already got a lot going on. You could even
store some of these extras in the kitchen so your kids will remember to brush
their teeth after eating.
Additionally,
encourage your kids to use straws when they drink sugary beverages. Although
these drinks should be limited for the betterment of your kids’ teeth and health,
if they do drink some, using a straw can help keep the sugar from coating their
teeth.
5.
Educate your kids and sitters about the importance of dental hygiene. The more your kids know to do, the less you’ll
have to do in this area. Educate your kids about proper dental hygiene habits
so they’ll know when and why they need to brush and floss their teeth, what
they should be eating and drinking and how to take care of their dental health
overall. You can do this by giving them great dental books to read and
referencing some of their favorite movies that mention dental care.
If you have sitters
for your kids, stress the importance of your kids’ dental habits to them, too.
They can make sure your kids are taking care of their teeth while you’re out.
Your kids’ dental
hygiene habits are important and it’s good to be developing them now. We hope
these essential dental hygiene tips can help you, even with your busy
schedule. Contact our office for more
information or to schedule a checkup today at 800-223-0801.
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