February is National Children’s Dental Health Month and the cavity-preventing celebrations are already underway! Dentists, Dental Hygienists and Dental Assistants across the country are going into schools and daycares this month to educate children about tooth-decay prevention. Dental teams are ready to motivate kids to be excited about brushing and flossing! This year’s theme from the American Dental Association is “Brush, Floss and SMILE!”
National Children’s Dental Health Month raises awareness of the importance of teaching children great oral health habits. When you learn how to properly brush and floss at an early age, you are developing great habits that last a lifetime.
Here are three ways you can help the children in your family achieve a lifetime of healthy smiles.
1. Take the time to show a child how to brush. Use gentle circular motions as you keep the toothbrush on the teeth and the gums. Try not to rinse out with water after brushing. You can get extra cavity-preventing benefits from leaving the toothpaste on the teeth. Kids who are able to spit toothpaste in the sink should use a “pea-sized” amount of fluoride-containing toothpaste. Kids who are still swallowing toothpaste should only be using a smear-sized amount of toothpaste.
2. Help a child floss! You can use the regular string-style floss or the single-use disposable flossers. Use the floss between the contact points of the teeth, basically in between teeth that touch. You do not need to floss if you have large diastemas or spaces in between the teeth. Toothbrushing alone is very effective for kids with large spaces.
3. Schedule a dental check-up for kids! Kids should ideally see a dentist every six months starting with the eruption of the very first tooth. This gives the dental team the best chance at early intervention and preventative dental care. This can help your child reduce future cavities-risk and improve their overall dental health. Give a dentist a call today!
-by Dr. Mandy Ashley
About Our Dentists: Dr. Mandy Ashley, Dr. Madison Galloway and Dr. Tyler McCubbins are Board Certified Pediatric Dentists proud to serve the communities of Bowling Green, Hopkinsville and Glasgow! Our Pediatric Dentists and SKY Team provide excellent comprehensive dental care that is fun for children and people with special healthcare needs.
SKY Pediatric Dentistry has been providing dental care to children and adults with special needs since 2013. As board-certified specialists in dentistry for children, our team strives to make going to the dentist as fun as possible while maintaining high-quality treatment and preventative measures. We tailor treatment plans to each child and offer a wide range of treatment options, including sedation, in-office general anesthesia and also hospital-based dentistry. With over 30 YEARS of doctor experience, SKY Pediatric Dentistry is a great choice for children’s dental care in Bowling Green, Hopkinsville and Glasgow!
