Good oral hygiene practice is a learned skill, as such it is important that parents instil the habits of maintaining dental hygiene in their children from young. As children continue to grow, their baby teeth will be replaced by adult teeth; thus, ensuring clean and healthy development of their teeth and gums is crucial.
Basic Oral Cleanliness
For a start, brushing teeth is an important practice to be observed diligently. But just how enthusiastic are children about brushing their teeth day and night? For one I know my kids are happy to forgo the nightly teeth-brushing routine because “but I’m sohhh tired, mum!”
Truth be told, we as parents do sometimes let our children slip thinking that milk teeth would fall out anyway, so it is alright not to brush their teeth once in a while, right?
Well, if tooth decay is not fun for adults, it definitely would not be any better for young children; the pain and discomfort it causes will affect their appetite and sleep – and thus, disrupting their overall growth and development.
Not to mention how a bad set of teeth will affect a growing child’s confidence with his image. That aside, if the tooth decay gets bad, it may need to be removed, and this may cause the other teeth to move out of position, affecting the healthy growth of adult teeth – a lifelong tricky problem!
Healthy, Balanced Diet
A treat is what it is, a treat. It is alright to let our children indulge in the occasional ice cream or chocolate to celebrate a hard week at school or at a birthday party; but making these sugary snacks a regular after-meal dessert may spell oral nightmare in the long run.
Cavities happen when we eat or drink anything sugary and do not clean our teeth thoroughly afterwards. Bacteria in the mouth will now feed and multiply very quickly on the sugar-coated teeth, forming plaque and producing acid.
The acid will then dissolve the minerals that make the enamel, causing it to become porous and that IS cavities as we know it. If left untreated, these cavities will progress and worsen, causing pain and loss of the tooth.
Persistently offer food that makes strong teeth and beautiful smiles; share with your children the benefits of these foods so that they will learn to make informed and good dietary choices.
- Crunchy vegetables like raw carrots, celery, and cucumbers are great in cleaning your child’s teeth and gums as they chew.
- Nuts and seeds contain natural fats, which help in shielding teeth against bacteria while the oils help strengthen the enamel.
- Fish are generally high in Vitamin D and it is important to aid the absorption of calcium.
- Citrus fruits such as oranges contain Vitamin C; it plays an important role in the makeup of connective tissues, such as those found in the gums. Strong teeth and gums always go hand in hand, so do not forget to keep the gums healthy, too.
- Water is the best drink parents can offer their children. It rinses sugars and bacteria off and helps the body systems to function optimally, including the salivary glands and the bone-forming cells, which protect our kids from cavities!
Permanent Teeth Coming Right Up!
From the ages 6 to 12, our children’s teeth will start going through a period of change where their milk teeth are replaced by permanent adult teeth.
Your child’s first adult teeth (except for the wisdom teeth) will come in at the age of 6 or 7 – they are known as the “first molars”; while the last of the permanent teeth come in around the age of 12.
During this time, some children may develop a diastema, that is the gap between the two upper front teeth; generally, it has nothing to be worried over as it means that the child’s teeth will have more space to grow into.
Another common sight is the appearance of 2 rows of teeth, usually seen at the lower front tooth area. This is normally caused by the different sizes of the new teeth and the space available for them to grow. If it causes a lot of discomforts and affects your child’s eating, a visit to the dentist is a must.
It is indeed an awkward and uncomfortable stage for your child to go through as they lose their baby teeth one by one while new, adult teeth start growing in between.
Hence, regular visits to the dentist to keep his orthodontic development monitored is important; as children’s permanent teeth start coming in around this time – accompanying dental problems would become apparent, too, and these will be easily rectified if they are identified earlier by your pediatric dentist.
Correct Brushing Goes A Long Way
As we all know it, our permanent teeth will last us a lifetime. Research shows that children who suffer from cavities in their milk teeth are highly likely to also develop cavities as an adult. Thus, we must ensure our children maintain good oral hygiene, especially at an age where their teeth go through changes.
Here are the things that can be done to keep our children’s teeth clean:
- Instil in your child the routine of brushing twice a day – after breakfast and before bedtime – to break down plaque. It would be great to also cultivate in them the habit of brushing or gargling after lunch or after eating in general.
- Brush teeth for 2 minutes. You can consider setting a 2-minute timer for your child as she brushes so that she gets an idea of how long she should be brushing her teeth. Avoid rushing your child.
- Teach your child to focus on brushing every tooth in a circular and up-down motion, especially in between the teeth. You may also get your dentist to give a demo on the proper way of brushing teeth.
- Provide good-quality toothbrushes with soft bristles and change out every 3 months.
Choose Right. Choose Jordan.
Your child’s teeth deserve the best care and Jordan vouch to deliver the quality to meet your family’s dental needs. The brand’s range of award-winning kiddies toothbrushes are designed according to your child’s dental milestones – practical in cleaning and attractive to keep your child interested in brushing!
Jordan Step 1 (0–2 Years)
- Made with extra soft bristles for new chomps and delicate gums, Jordan Step 1 toothbrush is perfect for teething toddlers – the handle is actually a biting ring! How cool is that?!
Jordan Step 2 (3–5 Years)
- With a small but wide head, Jordan Step 2 toothbrush is perfect for cleaning children’s small milk teeth. The coloured bristles in the center of the brush indicate the amount of toothpaste needed – thus, helping young children to grasp the concept of quantity. It comes in multiple cute cartoon-prints and bright, fun colours.
Jordan Step 3 (6–9 Years)
- Caring for teeth of different sizes and stages cannot get any easier with Jordan Step 3 toothbrush! Its V-cut double density bristles gently and effectively clean both milk and permanent teeth, and those hard to reach nook-and-cranny!
Loving it already? Pair your child’s Jordan Step toothbrush series with its toothpaste! Jordan Step 1 toothpaste is suitable to clean milk teeth (0–5 years old), while Jordan Step 2 toothpaste is made for cleaning permanent teeth (6–12 years old). Both toothpastes contain 0% SLS but clean effectively, with recommended fluoride level to protect teeth, and are mildly-flavoured.
The good news is, you can now get your hands on all of Jordan Step’s products on Motherhood.com.my!
That is not all! Step up and make teeth-brushing fun for your children with a personalised music video that teaches them the right way of keeping their teeth clean by downloading Jordan’s Brush Time for Kids app from Google Play Store or Apple App Store. Interesting reward programmes for children await (Pssst, only for those who brush their teeth!)!
To find out more, visit Jordan Malaysia’s official website, Facebook, and Instagram pages today!
Watch How It’s Done With The Jordan Steps Series
It’s time to discover how other mums are brushing their baby’s and toddler’s teeth with the Jordan Steps Series!
