It’s that time of year again – a time of new routines, adventures, and opportunities. It’s back-to-school season, which means it’s time to establish an oral health game plan for your family. Taking care of your children’s oral health is paramount, especially during the school year, as data show that over 9 million children between the ages of 6 and 12 miss school each year due to their oral health. That’s a whopping 30 percent! In fact, dental caries (or cavities) are the No. 1 illness in children.
Stay on top of your child’s oral health this year and ensure they’re not missing any valuable instruction time due to dental problems. Here are some helpful steps to keep your child’s teeth and gums healthy this school year and beyond.
Back-to-school means the return of schedules and routines! We dentists love that stuff! The first step to excellent oral health for your family is establishing a solid oral health care routine. This means brushing at least twice a day for at least two minutes at a time and flossing at least once per day.
Set aside a time each day for oral health, such as after breakfast, before the kids head off to school, and before bed each night. Help younger kids by brushing and flossing for them or supervising them as they brush to make sure they are doing it correctly. You can even brush and floss alongside them to make it fun!
Another helpful tip for keeping your family’s oral health on point is to serve your kids healthy snacks. Summer is over, so they can no longer raid the pantry at any time. Pack back-to-school snacks that are good for their energy and their teeth. Avoid things like gummies, fruit juices, candy, or anything else packed with sugar or carbohydrates. Instead, opt for dairy, fruit, and nut products that are less likely to cause cavities; they can even benefit teeth!
Back-to-school often means going back to extracurricular activities such as sports. But sports can be dangerous to the teeth – especially contact sports like football and hockey. This is why it’s so important to protect your kids’ teeth from injury when they play sports.
While there are many mouthguard options, we recommend a custom mouthguard from Breathe Modern Dentistry. A custom mouth guard fits into your child’s mouth perfectly because it is custom molded to fit the shape of their mouth. This makes for a more secure fit that will be more effective at protecting teeth from damage. Custom mouthguards are also more comfortable, so your athlete will be more likely to wear theirs.
Other options include boil-and-bite guards, which aren’t as good as custom mouth guards but are still better than leaving your child’s teeth unprotected.
When it comes to oral health, don’t rely on what you see in your child’s mouth. Often, you won’t be able to spot cavities, especially if they are between the teeth. This is why attending regular checkups with us is so essential.
Here at Breathe Modern Dentistry, we care about your child’s health and well-being! The mouth is the gateway to the body, so naturally, we want to protect it from any harm that could affect not just the mouth but also overall health.
Regular checkups will help spot potential problems with the teeth and gums, including cavities, a bad bite, TMJ dysfunction, and gum disease. Without intervention, these problems can get worse and cause a long list of issues, including missed school and lack of focus in classes due to oral health pain. Send them back-to-school with a healthy mouth and keep it that way to help those report cards looking stellar.
Now that you know the keys to keeping your child’s oral health in shape this school year, it’s time to start the new semester off right and get going on your new oral health routine. Get your child a brand-new toothbrush (and be ready to replace it every three months) so they’re motivated to brush, and make sure they are implementing their brushing and flossing routine.
If your child plays sports, contact our office about having a custom mouthguard crafted for ease and comfort.
Finally, be sure to book your family’s dental checkups if you still need to do so. We recommend visiting us every six months for X-rays and cleanings to help keep tabs on all that hard work! With these tips in mind, your child will earn an “A” in oral health!