As parents, there are a lot of lessons we try to teach our children while theyโre still young; donโt touch hot burners, always say โpleaseโ and โthank youโ, brush your teeth twice a dayโฆ
That last little piece of wisdom is particularly loathsome to children around the world, and to be fair, we can kind of understand why. Good oral health is essential to overall health at every age, but to kids, brushing and flossing is often just another obnoxious chore.
To make matters worse, some parents adopt the attitude that all baby teeth fall out eventually, so it isnโt worth the fight. Not only does oral hygiene (or lack thereof) impact our health from the moment weโre born, but neglecting to establish these habits in childhood sets our kids up for detrimental lifelong habits. And after those baby teeth are gone, there are no second chances!
Luckily, solidifying those best practices for kidsโ oral health early doesnโt need to be difficult โ it can even be fun! Here are some quick pointers on how to make the most of this teaching moment.
Level up your childโs oral care routine with our tasty Strawberry Toothpaste, colorful Bamboo Toothbrushes, and sturdy Floss Picks!
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Start With a Healthy Diet
We'll say it once, say it again, and say it a hundred times or more: We are what we eat!
Of course, a healthier diet and lifestyle donโt just have advantages for our everyday health in the family โ but also for our kidsโ oral health, too.
The sugars from processed foods and drinks stick in the curves and crevices of the teeth. If the teeth arenโt cleaned properly, that buildup turns into plaque and, eventually, cavities. Thatโs why avoiding sugary and processed foods is a better plan in general (itโs not worth the risk!), and why consuming fruits, vegetables, and clean sources of protein and energy is so worthwhile!
As for candy and chocolateโฆwe donโt need to tell you how hard sweets can be on teeth โ especially little ones! Caramel and other sticky foods clog and stick in the mouth, staying on teeth for hours and slowly eroding the enamel.
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Make Brushing Teeth Fun
We can lecture our kids on the benefits of good oral health from sunup until sundown โ but if they arenโt interested in what weโre telling them, then they donโt really have an incentive to think of the long-term consequences of neglecting their oral health.
Again, all of this can seem like a never-ending battle of nagging kids into doing whatโs right, but it doesnโt have to be. Kidsโ oral health is as fun as you make it โ so letโs make it something our little ones look forward to!
For starters, incorporate some fun. Make brushing into a game! Who can get the shiniest smile? Who has the freshest breath? Line up for inspection so mom can see whoโs been the most attentive in cleaning their teeth!
You can also place a fun timer in the bathroom and give them a reward if they brush their teeth well during the week. There are plenty of fun ways to track progress, too! You can hand out coins, create a daily chart with checkboxes or stickersโฆthe possibilities are endless!
Remember, thoroughness is the key to strong oral health, so steer away from goals like โwho can brush their teeth the fastest.โ The last thing you want is your kids cutting corners.
Ultimately, just like tidying up their bedrooms, setting the table, or helping with chores around the house, itโs all about incorporating a sense of fun and play.
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Kickย Fluoride Our of Your Bathroom!
A lot of progress has been made in recognizing the damaging effects of the chemicals included in so many of the products we use every day. It doesnโt always make for easy reading.
However, we as parents have the fantastic opportunity to correct the mistakes that were made and put on the market - and that we ourselves have probably experienced - long before our kids were even born. This is especially the case when it comes to fluoride. Fluoride has been praised as an oral care holy grail for many years, but parents are becoming aware of the risks this ingredient poses to our health. These risks rightly make parents wary of exposing their children.
Fluoride has fallen far from its previous position in the oral health world - it is not a confirmed neurotoxin. Sadly, fluoride exposure (in varying amounts) has been linked to lower IQ scores, thyroid dysfunction, and skeletal fluorosis, which makes the bones weak and brittle.
Investing in the right kind of toothpaste goes a long way to not only promote your kidsโ oral health, but also to ensure that they are not exposed to toxic chemicals that will harm their short-term and long-term health.
These days, toothpastes that use hydroxyapatite (instead of fluoride) as their active ingredient can do a lot to promote kidsโ oral health without any of the risks. The desire for clean, safe, effective formulas is something we have poured our heart and soul into perfecting when it comes to our Wellnesse childrenโs oral care line.
Couple your natural superstar toothpaste with gentle, sustainable tools like our biodegradable toothbrushes, and youโll be able to teach your children not only about the importance of strong oral health, but also how to protect and preserve our planet!
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Encourage Flossing Early
Flossing our teeth is a vital part of oral care, because it reaches all the nooks and crannies in our mouths that we canโt reach through brushing alone. Yet, the reality is that many adults donโt floss their teeth on a daily basis, so it stands to reason that many children donโt either.
Flossing helps remove food particles lodged between kidsโ teeth, but it can also be fun and engaging. Skirting on the scientific side of things, flossing in front of a mirror is also a good way of developing your kidsโ hand-eye coordination, as they have to reverse what they can see to get the best results from the flossing motion. Thatโs a good lesson to learn early on in life!
As soon as your childโs teeth come in, they should be flossing! However, we know how challenging it can be for young kids to manage traditional thread floss on their own. If your younger children are struggling to floss, try floss picks! The smooth thread and sturdy handle will make your childโs job a little easier while still achieving the same great results.
Plus, giving your kids ownership over their oral health habits will help them feel comfortable with everyday hygiene practices and prepare them to adopt them independently once theyโre a little older!
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Encourage Healthy Habits That Last a Lifetime
When was the last time you stopped and thought just how bizarre (and probably obnoxious) you must have found it as a child to be told how to brush your teeth? The answer is probably that you donโt give it much thought at all. And thatโs good! It means that your parents instilled healthy habits in you early on, which is our (and your) goal now!
As important as it is to make these routines fun, when it comes to kidsโ oral health, habit is definitely a key concept. Children need to understand that this is a daily activity thatโs important because itโs good for them. Make sure they understand your reasons for teaching them so they know they arenโt just being bossed around.
Once kids understand that good oral hygiene is the key to not only good breath and clean teeth, but also better health overall - thanks to how much a healthy mouth positively affects the immune system - you can encourage this habit forming with solid routines and feel-good energy.
Of course, having the right products is essential, and thatโs where we come in! Helping your family to be their healthiest and happiest selves is something we believe passionately in โ both for your kidsโ oral health and far beyond!