By EKalman January 24, 2022 - 11:25pm

Once your baby's teeth begin to erupt, you should start to plan on how to provide proper dental care for your child, ensuring that their teeth remain white and healthy. However, it’s important to understand that effective dental care for children entails more than just brushing their teeth twice a day.

Continue reading to learn five secrets to improve your child’s dental health.

1. Avoid giving fruit juice to your child
Dentists advocate against giving fruit juice to children under the age of one due to an increased risk of tooth decay, gum disease, and obesity. You should avoid giving your baby juice at bedtime. The sugar content of fruit juice is comparable to that of many soft drinks. Moreover, bacteria in your baby's mouth can dissolve sugar and generate acid, eventually leading to enamel erosion. You can reduce the development of these bacteria by giving your child fresh fruits and other healthy foods.

2. Learn how to clean your child’s teeth
As they grow older, you may promote your child's dental hygiene by using specialized oral care products that make brushing more fun. Look for a cartoon-themed children’s toothbrush and toothpaste. Besides, teach your child to brush their teeth using gentle, circular motions along the gums, and make sure that your child is brushing and flossing two times a day.

3. Take your child to the dentist
Take your child to a pediatric dentist twice a year as even the most meticulous dental hygiene is not enough to remove all plaque and food residue. Bacteria can grow resistant to even the most thorough brushing and flossing. Pediatric dentistry specialists can provide professional teeth cleaning and diagnose dental problems early.

4. Promote healthy eating
It’s essential to feed your baby a healthy diet for proper teeth growth and development. Limit foods and beverages that are high in sugar. Instead, make sure your child gets enough fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, and dairy products. Try to be a role model too. You can’t expect your child to eat fruits and veggies if you’re snaking on french fries and sipping coke all the time. Also, make sure that your child gets enough fluoride. Fluoride is essential to maintain your child’s teeth healthy, strengthen their enamel, and prevent cavities. Check if your tap water is fluoridated and if not, get your child a fluoride-containing toothpaste.

5. Be a role model
For many children, their parents are the main role models. Your child may look up to you in order to shape their habits and behavior. Use this as an opportunity to be a great role model. Brush your teeth for two minutes twice a day, use dental floss once a day, and consume tooth-friendly foods.

6. Rinse after eating
Water is the healthiest beverage ever because it hydrates and does not promote cavities. Water is also very helpful in reducing post-eating acidity since it cleans out bacteria and food particles. Brushing right after a meal can cause irreparable damage to the enamel. Contrarily, water rinses help get rid of acids without causing any harm to the protective layer of teeth. Consider adopting a family rinse habit after every meal.

The bottom line
Try using the aforementioned tips to preserve your children’s dental and overall health. Teach your child to brush and floss their teeth on a regular basis. Make sure your child consumes healthy foods such as dairy products, lean proteins, fruits, and vegetables. Limit your child's intake of sugary snacks and beverages like fruit juice, soda, and candy. Ensure your child is seen by a pediatric dentist for checkups regularly. Also, strive to be a role model for your children by practicing good dental hygiene and consuming healthy foods.