Think Mouth, Think Health!
Yesterday’s World Oral Health Day has an important message for children.
Although we may be a day late, the message from World Oral Health Day is still relevant and is likely to be for the foreseeable future. The key message is that having a healthy mouth is an important step to having good general health. We already know, as adults, that many of the tooth and gum harming food and drinks that we consume, along with smoking, not only have a harmful effect on our oral health, but can also lead to serious, and often life threatening, diseases.
Naturally, health messages given to children should aim at encouraging them to change habits through education and not by tales of horrific diseases. With this in mind, World Oral Health Day focuses on three simple messages.
Brush your teeth
Some children seem to have an inbuilt resistance to cleaning their teeth. Even the encouragement of a cartoon character toothbrush and fruit flavoured toothpaste sometimes isn’t enough. As parents, we need to be patient and persistent in encouraging children to brush their teeth. We should definitely supervise them for some time, and, if possible, brush our own teeth at the same time. However rebellious children are, they seem to absorb what we actually do, rather than what we tell them to do. Cleaning our teeth regularly and correctly will not only help us to have healthy teeth, but will also help your children too.
Eat Healthily
Another challenge for parents! Children love sugar, and that’s a fact; one that we may find almost impossible to alter. It is perhaps best to accept that they will like sugary foods but to make sure that these are eaten in moderation. We may struggle to ensure that they eat healthily when staying at friends or at school etc, but we can take care to feed them healthy food at home. Try to encourage them to see sugary food and drink as a treat and not a regular part of their daily diet. Although it may not feel like it at the time, denying them these sugary food and drinks is actually doing them a favour and you are more likely to see them grow up in good health.
Visit the dentist
Few people genuinely enjoy visiting the dentist and, if you are an anxious dental patient yourself, your children will pick up on this. Regular dental checks at our Burton practice are extremely important for the whole family, including children. The team at Mike Allen’s Dental Practice recommend that you bring your child to see us every six month from their first birthday. The younger they are on their initial visit, the quicker they will become accustomed to the sights, sounds and smells of a dental practice and are more likely to maintain regular professional dental care throughout their life. If your dental anxiety is severe, it may be worth considering asking a responsible relative to take your child instead.
If you have a child who has not yet seen a dentist, or who has missed appointments for a while, why not use World Oral Health Day as a catalyst to get your child back on the path to a healthy mouth and body?
Appointments can be made at our Burton dental practice by calling us on 01283 845345. We look forward to meeting you and your family members too!