Being given the responsibility to teach a child things that will shape his future is no easy feat, but it’s very important to equip your little one with everything he needs to grow up as the adult that you want him to be—healthy and ready to take on the world.
Singer Olivia Newton-John once said that she has her Mum to thank for her healthy smile even now that she’s already in her late adulthood years, and as a parent, you’ll surely want to hear the same compliment from your child. Here are three oral health habits that you should start teaching your little one now:
- Introduce your child to the happy experience of a dental visit.
A lot of children are scared to visit the doctor or even the dentist because of all the bad things they hear about people who wear white uniforms—the injections, blood extractions and bitter medications. This shouldn’t be the case, however. So, at an early age, make sure that you introduce your child to the happy experience of visiting Pretoria dentists and why it’s important to have his pearly whites checked regularly. You can set regular appointments for the whole family so your child will see that you’re also taking care of your teeth, which would be a great example for him.
- Start your child early with brushing.
While it’s easy to think that you should only start brushing your child’s teeth after they appear, you’re actually wrong. Experts suggest that good dental care should begin even before the first tooth appears. Teeth begin to form during the second trimester of pregnancy and yes, your child already has 20 primary teeth at birth. So, make sure to start cleaning as early as possible, using a damp washcloth, an infant brush and a full toothbrush depending on his age. Once he develops this habit, you’ll have no problems making him brush his teeth every day.
- Instil the value of eating healthy.
It’s a given that you’d want to feed your child healthy foods to make sure he grows up well. But more than that, healthy eating is actually very important for dental health, which is why you have to instil in him the value of eating only the right foods to make sure his pearly whites stay in good shape. You have to set a good example so choose your own foods properly as well. Also, be extra careful when buying groceries and make sure that you are preparing meals that provide all the nutritional requirements that your family needs.
It really is true when they say that a child could be a handful sometimes and that it takes a lot of patience, commitment and hard work to raise one properly. There will be a lot of challenges down the road and frustrations are bound to hound you from time to time. But if all your efforts mean that your son or daughter grows up to be a healthy, happy and smart individual, then everything will be worth it.
