The end of summer and return to school have arrived and with the changes that brings, especially in these uncertain times, it would be easy to neglect your family’s oral health. AH Smiles of Arlington Heights, IL can make the back-to-school season easy with family dental care and tips to maintain your oral health.
1. Make dental appointments for your whole family
Always making appointments for this time of year is a good way to remember your dental check-ups. Dental appointments book quickly, so make your kids’ back-to-school dental appointments soon before school schedules and activities get in the way. While you’re at it, don’t forget to schedule yours, too!
2. Establish a time for tooth brushing
Kids thrive with routine, and creating a daily oral hygiene routine will set them up for a lifetime of good oral hygiene and health. Dentists suggest brushing twice a day and flossing once a day, so it might be good to fit oral hygiene into the morning and bedtime routine.
3. Pack low-sugar items in school lunches
Packing school lunches for your children every day can be stressful, and on busy mornings, it’s easy to fall into the trap of packing snack-sized treats. Planning ahead and pre-packing healthy, low-sugar snacks can help protect your kids’ teeth from tooth decay. There are also some tasty, low-sugar pre-packaged options that you may want to seek out also.
4. Let kids choose their toothpaste and toothbrush
Make oral health more exciting to your kids by allowing them to choose their own dental products. Many brands make special dental products for children with fun flavors and their favorite characters on them. Make certain they choose products with the ADA seal of approval so that their oral care doesn’t damage or harm their teeth. Allowing them choices in their products helps them to look forward to using what they’ve chosen, making oral hygiene easier to maintain.
5. Reward good oral health
Find a system of incentives that works for your family and reward good oral health. Did your child get a good report from their dentist? You can reward them with a preferred activity or privilege to help reinforce and reward their hard work and good habits.
6. Know what to do in a dental emergency
Accidents will happen, and knowing what to do in the first moments after a dental emergency is critical to save a broken or knocked-out tooth. An adult tooth that has been knocked out should be kept moist, so instruct your child to place it between their cheek and gums. If this is not possible, keep the tooth in a glass of milk and contact your dentist immediately.
For a cracked or broken tooth, wash the mouth out with warm water and contact your dentist immediately for follow-up care. If the damage was the result of any trauma to the head or mouth, seek medical attention right away before consulting your dentist.
Dr. Brent Engelberg of AH Smiles wishes you a great back-to-school season! To schedule your family’s appointments, schedule with us online or call (847) 230-9703.